Stoke may be the home side, and have only lost one home game in 2009, yet they are 8/1 with William Hill and Bet365 to claim all three points. That looks big for a side with such dominant home form and Chelsea are short even at a best priced 4/9 with Skybet. A draw could be seen as a good result for both parties and Hill's offer 18/5 on the game finishing all square.
If Stoke are going to win they are going to need a strong defence and to try a sneak a goal and 1-0 to the Potters can be backed at 17/1 with PaddyPower. Stoke managed a 2-1 home victory against Arsenal last season and Coral and Boyles offer 28's that the Potters repeat that scoreline against the Citizens.
Chelsea may have to be content with a single goal victory at the Brit and Skybet, Ladbrokes and Coral offer 6's on a 1-0 away victory. The Stamford Bridge side won 2-0 at the Brit last season and Ladbrokes offer 6's on a repeat of that scoreline. If the game is too end all square, a goalless draw is the most likely scoreline as both defences are watertight, the Potters have four clean sheets in five games this season and Bet365, Boyles, StanJames and Ladbrokes offer 12's on the deadlock remaining unbroken.
Chelsea struck twice in the final five minutes to turn a 1-0 loss into a 2-1 victory when these two clashed at Stamford Bridge in January and if you think the game will see the first blow struck late on then SkyBet offer 22's on the opening goal arriving in the 81st minute or later.
Stoke Ricardo Fuller has had a fortnights rest and will be chomping at the bit. He is yet to reach top form this term and maybe able to exploit more tired legs in the Chelsea defence. The Jamaican can be backed at 12's with Coral to open the scoring. Tuncay netted a double for Turkey last Saturday and is also available at 12's with BetFred, Coral and PaddyPower to net the first goal. BlueSQ and Ladbrokes are going a huge 20/1 that Liam Lawrence scores the opening goal. With Liam on free kicks and penalties and having scored a fantastic first goal for Ireland on Wednesday he may just be the man to open the game up.
Chelsea have an array of talent and midfielder Frank Lampard, scorer of three England goals this week, is always the man to grab the game by the scruff of the neck if needed and is 7's at Coral. Didier Drogba has been in great form this season and can be backed at 9/2 with Corals to score the opener. Full backs Bosingwa and Belletti netted against the Potters last season and forward thinking Ashley Cole is 40's with PaddyPower, StanJames and BlueSQ to get the games deadlock breaker.