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Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Stoke City vs Chelsea. Premier League.

Bet365 StadiumAttendance29,661.

Stoke City 0

    Chelsea 4

    • Á Morata (2nd minute, 77th minute, 82nd minute)
    • Pedro (30th minute)

    Stoke v Chelsea preview: Eden Hazard set to make first league start this season

    Eden Hazard of Chelsea in action during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between Chelsea FC and Qarabag FK at Stamford Bridge
    Image: Eden Hazard is expected to make his first Premier League start of the season

    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.

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    Stoke boss Mark Hughes revealed he has just one senior defender available for Saturday's visit of Chelsea

    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.

    Also See:

    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.

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    Chelsea's fans react to the news that Diego Costa is leaving to join Atletico Madrid

    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.

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    Watch a preview of Saturday’s Premier League games including West Ham v Tottenham, Man City v Crystal Palace and Stoke v Chelsea

    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.

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    Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte has thanked Diego Costa for his effort during his time at the club after he sealed a move to Atletico Madrid

    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)

    Betting

    Chelsea are Sky Bet's 8/13 favourites for the victory with Stoke priced at 9/2 while the draw is a 29/10 chance. Antonio Conte's men drifted out to 11/2 to defend their title following last weekend's stalemate with Arsenal, while the Potters are 7/4 for a top-half finish.

    Alvaro Morata (7/2) heads the first goalscorer betting despite Michy Batshuayi's (7/2) midweek hat-trick, while Eric Choupo Moting is considered the hosts' main threat at 15/2 to net first.

    Stoke v Chelsea is included in this weekend's Super 6 line-up, with £250,000 up for grabs again. Enter your predictions for free here.

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