Stoke Vs Chelsea - Team News, Match Preview & Likely Line-Ups

By Joseph Dempsey / January 12, 2013

Venue: Britannia Stadium Date: Saturday, 12th January K/o: 15:00

Team News

Stoke have no fresh injury complaints ahead of the European Champion's visit to the Britannia this afternoon. Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic and striker Kenwyne Jones may return having been rested last weekend. Chelsea's John Terry is back in the squad after a two-month layoff and made his long awaited return in a development squad fixture on Thursday but he will not start. Petr Cech is a doubt with a groin injury but new signing Demba Ba and midfielder Frank Lampard will be hoping to earn recalls. Victor Moses and John Mikel Obi are away at the African Cup of Nations.

Match Preview

Having been upset by Swansea in the first leg of the League Cup semi-finals in midweek, Tony Pulis' Stoke are possibly the last team Chelsea would want to play this weekend. Having lost their last two home games, the Blues really need a win here today to instill confidence back in the side, but will face an uphill slog against one of the most resolute sides in the league. Stoke are the only side who can boast the fact that they are the only unbeaten side at home across all of England's top five divisions, and they are now seventeen games without losing. But Chelsea are unbeaten here, and they will be hoping new signing Demba Ba - who failed a medical ahead of a proposed move to Stoke in 2011 - can inspire them to a victory that could see them leapfrog Tottenham into 3rd place.

Likely Line-Ups

Stoke Begovic, Shawcross, Huty, Cameron, Wilkinson, Walters, Whelan, Adam, Kightly, Crouch, Jones Chelsea Turnbull, Cole, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Mata, Hazard, Lampard, Ramires, Ba, Torres Source: BBC