Date: Saturday, December 7 Venue: Britannia Stadium Kick-Off: 15:00 Can Chelsea keep pace with table-toppers Arsenal when they travel to Stoke in the Premier League on Saturday?
Team News
Stoke City defender Robert Huth will miss this match against his former side, meaning Marc Wilson is in line to retain his place in the starting XI. Manager Mark Hughes has no other injury concerns. Chelsea could again be without David Luis (knee) and Oscar (ankle) after the duo missed Wednesday's win at Sunderland. Gary Cahill should retain his place in the heart of defence alongside John Terry while Juan Mata is expected to start in midfield.
Key Stats
Stoke haven't beaten Chelsea in any competition since their victory in the League Cup second-round replay in 1995 - manager Mark Hughes played for the Blues that day. Chelsea have won their last three league games, scoring 10 goals. The Potters have failed to score in seven of the 10 Premier League meetings with the Blues. John Terry celebrates his 33rd birthday on the day of this match.
Stoke City's record against Chelsea is historically bleak. The Potters haven't beaten the Blues in the league since 1975, encompassing 14 games over 38 years, and their recent run of form doesn't suggest Mark Hughes's side are about to end that miserable statistic. Just one win in five Premier League games has left Stoke four points off the relegation zone while Chelsea will be looking to maintain pressure on Arsenal and keep pace at the top. Mourinho's men are undefeated in the league since losing to Newcastle on November 2 and have put together a good run of form that has seen them charge into second place in the month since. And, just as last season's game turned into a resounding 4-0 win for the Blues, I expect Chelsea to stretch their undefeated streak over their opposition with a comfortable win here. Prediction: 0-3
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
