To be played on Saturday 7th December 2013 at 15:00. Venue: Britannia Stadium, Stoke.
This afternoon sees Chelsea travel to the Britannia Stadium in hope of keeping in touch with this seasons runaway performers Arsenal with a victory. Going into the game Stoke are woefully out of form – with just one win in their last ten Premier League games but they have proven themselves hard to beat at home once again this season – in fact they have lost just once at home, to Norwich in September.
Chelsea though are coming off the back of a swashbuckling performance against Sunderland – and if Eden Hazard produces the same form he did in that fixture Stoke will need a miracle to win.
The Potters are without former Blue Robert Huth while Dutch left-back Erik Pieters is a major doubt with a groin problem.
Chelsea meanwhile are without David Luiz, who has a knee injury, while Oscar and Samuel Eto’o are both available – although Oscar is expected to be rested.
But enough speculation…who plays in today’s game?
Here are the teams…
Stoke City XI: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross (c), Huth, Muniesa; Walters, Nzonzi, Whelan, Adam, Arnautovic; Crouch
Subs: Sorensen, Pennant, Palacios, Jones, Assaidi, Wilkinson, Ireland.
Chelsea XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry (c), Azpilicueta; Ramires, Mikel; Hazard, Mata, Schurrle; Torres
Subs: Schwarzer, Cole, Essien, Lampard, De Bruyne, Ba, Eto’o
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