Stoke V Chelsea at Britannia Stadium : Match Preview

26 October 2015 17:01
Stoke V Chelsea - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Stoke aim to add to the misery for Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho in Capital One Cup

A crucial five days awaits Jose Mourinho as Chelsea continue the defence of the Capital One Cup with their manager's position under intense scrutiny.

Chelsea are looking to respond from a fifth Premier League loss from 10 games this season, in an ill-disciplined clash at West Ham, when they play at Stoke in the fourth round of the League Cup on Tuesday night.

Then Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool visit Stamford Bridge in a match which could be decisive in determining the future of Mourinho, whose side won the League Cup on March 1 and Premier League title on May 3.

Two matches would remain before November's international break - at home to Dynamo Kiev in a clash key to Chelsea's hopes of Champions League progression and, again, at Stoke, this time in the Premier League - but the Blues may not wait after a tumultuous start to the season which shows little sign of abating.

Mourinho signed a new four-year contract on the eve of the season-opener with Swansea but 59 days later, after a 3-1 loss at home to Southampton, he was subject of the first vote of confidence in a manager in Roman Abramovich's 12-year ownership.

The club's October 5 statement expressed support of the Portuguese but stressed results had to improve and he had the squad to do it.

Since then Chelsea have won one of their three games, against a free-falling Aston Villa, with a top-four place in the Premier League in jeopardy and even progression to the knockout stages of the Champions League by no means a formality.

Mourinho has found solace in the League Cup before. It is a competition he has won three times, most recently against Tottenham.

Nemanja Matic missed the Wembley final through suspension and is again banned after his dismissal at West Ham.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is among those who could replace Matic, but Mourinho is unlikely to revert to the largely second-string side chosen at Walsall.

Striker Loic Remy and forward Pedro have missed the last two matches, at Dynamo Kiev and West Ham, and are likely to miss out again, joining goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (knee) and Branislav Ivanovic (hamstring) in missing out.

Asmir Begovic is expected to continue in goal, although Marco Amelia was on the substitutes' bench at Upton Park following his free transfer arrival. If Begovic plays, it would mark his first return to Stoke since his summer switch.

The Bosnia goalkeeper believes Chelsea have been improving but have also been unfortunate, with Cesc Fabregas having a goal ruled out for offside and Kurt Zouma denied by goal-line technology at West Ham.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes has backed Mourinho to hang on to his job, saying at Monday's pre-match press conference: "It's a period he has the knowledge and understanding to address, and he'll turn it around.



"I don't think anyone thinks that he won't. I don't anticipate they'll be in the position they are for too much longer.



"Chelsea have quality right throughout the club that will enable them to come through this moment I'm sure.



"He says it himself - he's a top manager and he's the best manager Chelsea have ever had, so why would they change?"



Captain Ryan Shawcross is set to make his maiden first-team appearance of the season for the home side having recovered from back surgery.

Along with the centre-back, striker Mame Biram Diouf - recently on compassionate leave following the death of his mother - is also poised for a return to action in the fourth-round tie at the Britannia Stadium, but forward Bojan Krkic (toe) is a doubt.

Marc Muniesa (thigh) is another who may miss out, while fellow defenders Geoff Cameron (thigh) and Erik Pieters (suspended) definitely will.




Source: PAR