The season starts here… It was 108 years ago in the Chelsea FC Chronicle Frederick Parker heralded London's new football team with the words: 'They're off!' The first league visitors to Stamford Bridge were the same Hull we welcome on Sunday. Here's hoping for a similar result - 5-1 to the hosts.

It was many years before Chelsea's players had a lion badge on their chests but Hull's owners have recently elevated 'Tigers' from nickname to international brand. So perhaps the old riddle about who wins the fights when Tigers encounter lions has a new answer - the usual one is that as the beasts live in different continents they never meet.

Chelsea, as every young Blue knows, have doubled our pride of mascots with Bridget the Lioness joining Stamford the Lion on matchdays this season. (By the way, there's little chance of a royal blue cub story as they're just good friends.)

Hull's promotion as runners-up brings them into Chelsea's territory for the first time since the first match of 2009/10 at the Bridge. It is fair to say that among home supporters this is now one of the most eagerly awaited games. We had the Special One a few years before that 2-1 victory; this will be special too.

The squad has been judiciously resculpted over the summer and it was already a successful one bursting with the promise of more to come. Following the heroics in Amsterdam the Blues are one of just four clubs who have won all the major UEFA trophies and stand alone among English clubs in that respect.

The second coming of the most successful manager in our history - and the first to return - has increased expectations. Yet Jose Mourinho is sensible to take the heat out of the hope. The recruits and returnees of close season 2013 are not the off-the-peg stars of 2004; their headlines remain largely in the future. What survives from the first Mourinho era is a core of his champions and a winning mentality. The Portuguese's challenge is to mould his group into title challengers.

He attempts that in a transformed Premier League. Gone after a quarter century is Sir Alex Ferguson and his influence. Across Manchester the more free-spirited Manuel Pellegrini has succeeded defence-minded Roberto Mancini. Liverpool have a Mourinho acolyte, Brendan Rodgers, at the helm.

In fact the winning coaches in the French, German and Spanish leagues, as well as Champions League, Europa League (obviously), FA Cup and League Cup all left their clubs in the close season. Arsene Wenger, though, still holds what Jose previously dubbed the easiest job in football.

Sunday's opposition boss will be familiar though. In a small moment of symmetry, present Hull boss Steve Bruce was the first to host Mourinho's Chelsea in 2004. Back then, having watched his Birmingham City side lose out to a late-ish goal from substitute Joe Cole, he was mightily impressed.

Previously, as manager of Huddersfield, Brum, Wigan and Sunderland Bruce has only tasted victory twice in 20 matches against the Blues. On top of that, the Tigers have not won a point away from home on the opening day since 2001.

They nearly fluffed their promotion lines last season, failing to win any of their last four matches. But Bruce is a canny operator and has wheeled and dealt sensibly these last few months, culminating in the record fee signature of wardrobe-like central midfielder Tom Huddlestone from Spurs.

Chelsea have struggled to break down obdurate, park-the-bus opponents in recent years and Mourinho has had just a short while to install his methodology. The first team line-up, albeit compromised by the travails of international match travel, will be fascinating. The transfer window remains open till 2 September.

Supporters might note a couple of innovations this season. Hawk-Eye's goal decision system is in use for the first time, detecting when a ball has crossed a goalline through the use of mapping software and multiple cameras.

The images produced are currently barred from stadium and TV screens and there is no cricket DRS-style human intervention - the computers make the decisions and alert officials via a strap-on sensor. The system will not be called upon during Champions League matches at Stamford Bridge as UEFA has not ratified the technology.

The FA has also relaxed rules on retrospective punishment, allowing more 'not seen incidents' to be reviewed by its ominous-sounding Governance Department. Only 'unseen, off the ball' incidents such as elbowing, punching, spitting (or biting) will be reviewed, however, rather than excessive tackles that were clocked but went unpunished.

Chelsea have won 10 of the last 11 opening day games and 12 of the last 14. 2011's goalless draw at Stoke and the 1-1 draw against Newcastle in 2001 were the only occasions we failed to win all three points.

Since the formation of the Premier League the Blues have managed 13 wins, three defeats and five draws over the first weekend. Our last defeat was at Highfield Road in 1998 when Coventry City beat us 2-1.

Chelsea and Aston Villa are the only teams scheduled to play next midweek (Wednesday 21 August) as a result of Chelsea's involvement in the UEFA Super Cup on Friday 30 August.

Chelsea have won 12 and drawn three of our last 15 at the Bridge, since our last defeat to Swansea in the League Cup semi-final on 9 January.

Chelsea are unbeaten in the Premier League in 10 games, winning 20 points from the last 24.

Chelsea have lost just three of the last 73 games against newly promoted teams, in 12 and a half years. We have won 57 of those matches.

Hull were formed in 1904 and never played in the top flight until 2008.

Last season they were runners-up in the Championship behind champions Cardiff City.

Hull scored 61 goals in 46 league matches last term, an average of 1.32 goals per game, which was fewer than any other team in the top 12.

Their defence was the fourth best in the division conceding an average of 1.13 goals per game (52). They had the best record of points lost (10) when drawing or winning.

Hull's away record in their two previous Premier League seasons is 27 points from a possible 114.

- Match preview by chelseafc.com