Chelsea
will be looking to make up ground on the Manchester clubs when they visit
Stoke City on Saturday afternoon.
Arsenal held the Blues to a 0-0 draw on Super Sunday as Chelsea failed to
score in a league game for the first time at home under Antonio Conte, which
left them three points off early title pace-setters Manchester United and
Manchester City.
However, Chelsea have taken maximum points on the road this season, beating
Tottenham and Leicester while showing a mix of determination and attacking
skill.
Meanwhile, Stoke have failed to win in their last three games, including
suffering a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle last weekend. However, they have already
beaten a top-six side at the Bet365 Stadium when disposing of Arsenal 1-0.
Team news
Stoke boss Mark Hughes will be without three of his main centre-half options
and possibly four for Saturday's Premier League clash.
While on-loan Kurt Zouma is ineligible to face his parent club, Ryan
Shawcross (back) and Geoff Cameron (hamstring) remain sidelined, and Kevin
Wimmer is a doubt due to a hamstring problem of his own.
Hughes, who is set to restore several regular starters after making six
changes for the Carabao Cup on Tuesday, may opt to deploy Glen Johnson or
fellow full-back Erik Pieters - or both - alongside Bruno Martins Indi in
central defence.
Chelsea playmaker Eden Hazard is expected to make his first Premier League
start of the season.
Hazard has fully recovered from his broken ankle after three substitute
appearances and one start, in the Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest.
Forward Pedro has recovered from the leg injury which saw him miss the
Forest win, but defender David Luiz is suspended and midfielder Danny
Drinkwater (calf) is out.
Match stats
Stoke City have suffered 13 Premier League defeats against Chelsea in the
Premier League; more than they have against any other opponent.
Chelsea have won seven of their last eight Premier League away matches (W7
D0 L1), scoring at least two goals in six of these wins.
Chelsea need a point in this game to reach 1800 Premier League points
(currently 1799) - only Arsenal (1829) and Manchester United (2034) have
more in the competition.
Stoke have only won one of their last 10 Premier League home games against
the 'big six' clubs (D3 L6), however, they did record a win against Arsenal
in their first home game of the season.
Chelsea have been given as many red cards in their last five Premier League
games (3) as they had in their previous 73.
The Blues have also committed a league-high 68 fouls in the Premier League
after five matchdays of 2017-18.
Mark Hughes will be facing Chelsea for the 24th time in the Premier League
as a manager; he has lost more times (15) and conceded more goals (43)
against the Blues than any other club.
Cesc Fabregas has provided seven Premier League assists against Stoke; only
against Tottenham Hotspur has the Spaniard managed more in the competition
(11).
Willian has scored four Premier League goals against Stoke City; more than
he has against any other opponent in the competition.
Xherdan Shaqiri and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting have combined to create nine
goalscoring chances for one another in the Premier League this season - only
Spurs' Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen (10) have combined more often.
Merson's prediction
Chelsea were poor against Arsenal - bar the Pedro chance they didn't create
much - and it just highlighted how much they miss a fully-fit Eden Hazard.
This is a match they have to win because they cannot give the two Manchester
teams any more of a head-start. If they lose at Stoke and City win, that's a
six-point gap in September.
I have been disappointed in Stoke this season, the Newcastle game was a bad
result. But what really gets me is they lost 2-0 to Bristol City in the
Carabao Cup. That's a joke.
Stoke aren't going to challenge for the league and they aren't getting
relegated. It's another mid-table season. So why not go for it in the cup?
It was a shocker.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3 (Sky Bet odds 13/1)
top