Teams: Costa and Begovic start as Guus Hiddink picks strong Chelsea team for Scunthorpe

GUUS HIDDINK has selected a very strong Chelsea team for their FA Cup third round clash with Scunthorpe United today.

 

Chelsea are hoping to avoid a repeat of their humiliation to Bradford City

 

Asmir Begovic replaces Thibaut Courtois in goal as one of four changes to the Chelsea team that beat Crystal Palace 3-0 in the Premier League last weekend.

Diego Costa starts up front, with Pedro retaining his place in the side after he came on for the injured Eden Hazard at Selhurst Park.

Gary Cahill will start ahead of John Terry, who's been demoted to the bench, while Ramires replaces John Obi-Mikel with Branislav Ivanovic captaining the side.

 

Murray Wallace is the only change to the Scunthorpe team that drew 1-1 with Wigan last weekend, replacing Niall Canavan.

Seven-time winners Chelsea can afford to be distracted from their traumatic Premier League season this afternoon as Scunthorpe arrive in West London.

The Iron are 15th in League One but Chelsea know better than most about the perils of underestimating the underdogs.

 

The Blues were knocked out in the fourth round last season, when Bradford City - sixth in League One at the time - came back from two goals down to win 4-2 at Stamford Bridge in one of the greatest upsets in the competition's history.

Chelsea have won five FA Cups since the turn of the Millennium, including four titles between 2007 and 2012, and it gives them a realistic chance of silverware.

Their interim boss Guus Hiddink was in charge when they beat Everton 2-1 in the 2009 final, when Frank Lampard scored a late winner at Wembley.

 

The teams last met in the FA Cup in the third-round 11 years ago as Jose Mourinho's first Chelsea team won 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea: Begovic; Ivanovic, Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Fabregas; Willian, Oscar, Pedro; Diego Costa.

Subs: Courtois, Terry, Baba Rahman, Mikel, Loftus-Cheek, Kenedy, Traore

Scunthorpe: Daniels, Clarke, Mirfin, Wallace, Laird, Dawson, Ness, Bishop, Williams, Madden, van Veen

Subs: Anyon, Wiseman, Canavan, McAllister, King, Adelakun, Wootton.