Chelsea's last five matches: five wins, no draws, no losses, 29 goals scored, no goals conceded.
Stoke's last five matches: two wins, no draws, three losses, five goals scored, nine goals conceded.
With those statistics in mind, a trip to Stamford Bridge is hardly the fixture Stoke manager Tony Pulis would have selected through choice as his side still seek to earn their first Premier League points of the season as August drifts hazily towards September. Still, go to London to take on Chelsea they must, and really, given the champions' rampant recent form, hope for the best. Carlo Ancelotti's side seems to have the ability to score goals at will this season and will be extremely confident against the Potters. All the Stoke players can do is roll up their sleeves, get on with the task at hand and maybe, just maybe, they will buck the trend and emerge come five o'clock tomorrow with a very creditable result.
TEAM NEWS
The issue of "player power" has dominated the back pages this week, with much of it focusing around Stoke's highly rated young goalkeeper Asmir Begović. The 23 year-old Bosnian caused a huge stir on Tuesday when he allegedly refused to take to the field in the League Cup victory over Shrewsbury. His reason for not wanting to play was that he was not in a good frame of mind after being subject to a bid from, as fate would have it, Chelsea. The situation has prompted anger and accusations of disloyalty from Stoke fans and Pulis has expressed his disappointment. While Stoke chairman Peter Coates have made it clear that another bid for Begović is unwelcome, the unpleasant state of affairs looks far from resolved, and he is unlikely to be included in Pulis's matchday squad, with the veteran Carlo Nash likely to take up Begović's usual spot on the bench as Thomas Sorensen's understudy.
Meanwhile, Stoke's record signing Kenwyne Jones could feature up front for the first time since he hobbled off with an injured ankle on the opening day of the season while winger Liam Lawrence, despite being linked this week with a move to Portsmouth, is available for selection after recovering from a groin problem. Malian targetman Mamady Sidibe is definitely ruled out though after snapping his achilles a week ago and while Portsmouth midfielder Marc Wilson has been strongly linked with a move to the Britannia Stadium, no such deal has as yet been completed, and Pulis is likely to continue with Glenn Whelan and Dean Whitehead at the heart of his side.
Chelsea have a worryingly fit squad available for the game, with long term absentee Jose Bosingwa the only player set to be ruled out.
Possible Stoke Side:
Sorensen
Huth Shawcross Faye Collins
Delap Whitehead Whelan Etherington
Walters Fuller
Subs: Nash, Wilkinson, Higginbotham, Tonge, Lawrence, Tuncay, Jones
Possible Chelsea Side:
Cech
Ivanović Terry Alex Cole
Essien
Mikel
Lampard Malouda
Drogba Anelka
Subs: Hilario, Ferreira, Van Aanholt, Benayoun, Zhirkhov, Kalou, Borini
FORM
Though the opening lines of this preview say all that needs to be said on this front, I'll go on. Two games into the season, Chelsea top the Premier League having secured two sublime 6-0 wins. Stoke have lost 2-1 twice in the league, but were desperately unlucky to do so last week against Tottenham. Some bookmakers have odds as high as 22/1 for a Stoke win, such is the likelihood of Chelsea continuing their magnificent start to the campaign. They have also beaten Stoke on all five occasions the two have met over the past two years, twice 2-0, twice 2-1 and, in a game we'd all rather forget, incidentally Begović's Stoke debut, 7-0 back in April. Chelsea also have the historical edge, with 37 wins to 27 from the clubs' 83 meetings. Nineteen have been drawn. Stoke supporters can, however, take some solace and encouragement from the fact that their side have run Chelsea very close in two of those matches, actually leading at Stamford Bridge until the 87th minute in January 2009, and losing out only to a 94th minute Florent Malouda goal at the Britannia Stadium last September after taking the lead through Abdoulaye Faye. Stoke's recent record in London has also been good, with away victories secured against Spurs, Fulham and West Ham in the capital last season.
PLAYER LINKS
Stoke's giant German defender Robert Huth spent four years with Chelsea, making his debut at the age of seventeen and playing 62 games, scoring twice, for the club between 2002 and 2006 when he moved to Middlesbrough. No current Chelsea player has ever had the honour of taking to the field in a Stoke shirt, though names of the past who represented both clubs include goalkeeper Ed de Goey (Stoke 2003-06, Chelsea 1997-2003), midfielder Alan Hudson (Stoke 1974-76 & 1984-85, Chelsea 1968-74 & 1983-84), forward Mark Stein (Stoke 1991-1993 & 1996-97, Chelsea 1993-98) and winger Mickey Thomas (Stoke 1982-84 & 1990-91, Chelsea 1984-85), all players held in high regard by Stoke fans to this day.
THE REFEREE
39 year-old Martin Atkinson from West Yorkshire will take charge of the game. He last refereed Stoke in the 2-0 FA Cup quarter final defeat at Chelsea in March, and Chelsea on the final day of last season, when they thumped Wigan 8-0. He has had an eventful start to this Premier League season, sending off two players in the draw between Liverpool and Arsenal and overseeing Newcastle's 6-0 drubbing of Aston Villa last weekend.
THE WEATHER
The game should be played out in pleasant conditions, with temperate sunshine and only patchy cloud predicted for West London tomorrow.
PREDICTION
Stoke should provide sterner opposition for Chelsea than either West Brom or Wigan have so far this season, but in their present form it's hard to see anything but a comfortable home victory. I foresee a 4-0 scoreline with Malouda hitting a brace and Frank Lampard and Saloman Kalou also on target. Chelsea 4-0 Stoke
Enjoy the game (whatever the score)