Chelsea will have an excellent opportunity to end this year on a high. 2016 started off on a good note as Guus Hiddink resurrected a Chelsea side who were at one stage just 3 points off the relegation zone. They ultimately finished 10th which led to the board appointing Antonio Conte to do a major clean up at the club.
While his credentials were top notch, no one would have anticipated the speed and the efficiency with which he has turned things around. Chelsea are leading the pack with a difference of 6 points with their nearest competitor.
They will be facing a Stoke side who are having an inconsistent season and have been plagued by injury and suspension to important players all along. The Potters will not be having their best eleven against the leaders and have to put up something special to deny the Blues 3 points at Stamford Bridge.
TRIVIA
- Chelsea didn’t win either game against Stoke City last season (D1 L1), the first time they had failed to beat them either home or away in a league campaign since 1974/75.
- The Potters are winless in 11 league visits to Chelsea, last winning there 1-0 in April 1974.
- Stoke have scored just three times in eight visits to Stamford Bridge, with goals from Rory Delap, Charlie Adam and Mame Biram Diouf.
- Eden Hazard scored and assisted in Chelsea’s last Premier League win over Stoke (2-1 in April 2015).
- Chelsea haven’t lost their final league game of a calendar year since 2011 (1-3 at home to Aston Villa).
- Stoke City have ended the last two calendar years with a league victory – 2-0 v West Brom in 2014 and 4-3 at Everton in 2015.
- Chelsea are on a Premier League winning run of 12 games – only one team has won more games consecutively in the history of the competition (Arsenal – 14 between February and August 2002).
- With a win over Stoke, the Blues would join Arsenal in winning the most games consecutively in a single season, with 13 of those 14 wins for Arsenal coming in the 2001/02 season.
- Mark Hughes has never won at Stamford Bridge as a manager in the Premier League, drawing two and losing eight times in 10 previous visits.
TEAM NEWS & PREDICTED LINE-UPS
CHELSEA (3-4-3)
Diego Costa makes a return after serving his 1-game suspension and will be the main man for Chelsea in attack. N’Golo Kante is also back and thus Chelsea will be at their full strength, although it did not make much of a difference against Bournemouth!
John Terry remains on the sidelines while Pedro will miss a match having picked his 5th yellow card.
Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Kante, Fabregas, Alonso; Willian, Costa, Hazard
STOKE CITY (3-4-2-1)
Mark Hughes could have Phil Bardsley available to be named among the substitutes at Stamford Bridge after the defender returned to training on Thursday following a knee injury.
Marc Muniesa and Geoff Cameron both remain out.
Marko Arnautovic is still suspended, while Jack Butland and Stephen Ireland remain sidelined.
Grant; Johnson, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Diouf, Imbula, Whelan, Pieters; Allen, Shaqiri; Walters
ODDS
CHELSEA- 1/4
DRAW- 11/2
STOKE CITY- 13/1
TRIVIA COURTESY- OPTA
