Even with four goals, Chelsea are defending as intently as they did in the first minute. Anytime the ball falls to a Stoke player, there are at least two blue shirts standing in front of him. It has been a display that Conte will be proud of.
90'
The referee has signalled three added minutes at the end of the second half.
89'
P. Crouch gets yellow.
Peter Crouch is very lucky to only receive a yellow card after he put in a high challenge that was nowhere near the ball.
88'
Kante leading a counter-attack spreads the ball to Moses on the wing. Moses then centres to Morata for a tap-in fifth Chelsea goal but Glen Johnson was first to react and cleared the ball off of the goal line.
86'
Chelsea once again find themselves in an attacking position, with the linkup between Hazard and Fabregas only disrupted once Glen Johnson got a boot to the ball and cleared it up field to Courtois.
84'
Stoke have been shocked and battered in the past ten minutes. It was always a risky substitution removing the one natural centre-back on the pitch but Hughes thought the gamble was worth taking. Stoke is now employing a back three made up of two full-backs and a central midfielder. Chelsea have made them pay for their attacking alterations.
82'
Álvaro Morata has scored a goal for Chelsea! Assist by César Azpilicueta.
IT’S A HAT-TRICK FOR ALVARO MORATA! MORE BRILLIANT BUILD UP BY THE BLUES! Fabregas lifts it right over the Stoke defence to Azpilicueta who gets a chest on it and plays in Morata to tap in. Fantastic team goal by Chelsea who now lead 4-0!
Azpilicueta gets the assist after a brilliant chest-down pass for Morata.
79'
STAT: A Chelsea win today would leave Stoke winless in their last five games in all competitions – with their last victory coming exactly one month ago today in the EFL Cup against League One Rochdale.
77'
Álvaro Morata has scored a goal for Chelsea! Assist by T. Bakayoko.
Bakayoko will be credited with the assist after forcing Glen Johnson to turn the ball over.
COOL AS YOU LIKE FROM ALVARO MORATA! The Spanish forward jumps on the loose ball after Glen Johnson turns it over on the halfway line. Morata paces past Johnson and then Fletcher before chipping Jack Butland who had gone to ground early. It is a fantastic finish from Morata and that surely seals all three points for Chelsea today! 3-0!
76'
I. Afellay enters the game and replaces B. Martins Indi.
The often injured Ibrahim Afellay will be sent into the fray for the first time this season, replacing centre-back Martins Indi in a very offensive switch. Hughes must change things drastically with time running out.
Minute
Description
75'
Kante passes it on for Morata who attempts to centre it for the newly introduced Hazard. Pieters does well to stick a foot in and hoof it away for a Chelsea throw.
73'
Shaqiri lines up for a free-kick on the left-hand side. Choupo-Moting gets a good header to it but Courtois seems unaffected by his earlier injury, leaping well to claim the ball high in the air.
72'
E. Hazard enters the game and replaces Willian.
Eden Hazard will feature for the last twenty minutes of this contest, replacing the Brazilian forward Willian.
70'
Penalty shouts again by Stoke City as Peter Crouch gets into a tangle with Antonio Rudiger who was deemed to have been standing his ground and thus acting in a legal fashion.
68'
Cesc Fàbregas enters the game and replaces Pedro.
Play is stopped to tend to Thibaut Courtois who is down after coming to claim a corner. The Belgian goalkeeper came to punch the ball away and flipped over the back of Peter Crouch and landed hard on his neck. Courtois looks set to continue but Caballero has begun warming up on the sidelines just in case.
Pedro’s day is done, with the former Barcelona man being replaced by Cesc Fabregas.
66'
CLOSE FROM STOKE! Glen Johnson crossed the ball into Peter Crouch who headed it down for Diouf. Diouf couldn’t get the accuracy correct and instead blasted it high and wide of the goal he was only a couple of yards away from.
63'
STAT: Stoke have lost to Chelsea more times than they have lost to any other side in the Premier League. A trend that looks set to continue today.
61'
P. Crouch enters the game and replaces Jesé.
Mark Hughes will make his first change of the day, taking Jese off and replacing him with the veteran Peter Crouch upfront.
60'
Shaqiri made himself a yard of space and tried a curler from outside the area which skipped into the grateful hands of Courtois. That was Stoke’s first chance on goal today – coming an hour into the match.
59'
G. Cahill enters the game and replaces Marcos Alonso.
Antonio Conte has acted wisely from the bench and has chosen to remove the cautioned Marcos Alonso. He will be replaced by captain Gary Cahill in defence.
57'
N. Kanté gets yellow.
Kante has also found his way into the referee’s book after fouling Ramadan. He received a yellow card for his illegal play.
56'
This match has really picked up in intensity since the start of the second half. Stoke are not going to let this match get away from them without a fight – if not literally than certainly in a figurative sense. The Potters need a spark from somewhere to get their attack going.
54'
Shaqiri’s free-kick is a good one that just missed the head of Choupo-Moting. Joe Allen gets in front of the clearance and lashes an off-balance strike high and wide of Courtois’ goal.
53'
Marcos Alonso is at the centre of his third controversy in a minute and a half! He had no chance to play the ball and ran through the back of Diouf who ended up on the floor. The referee awards Stoke a free-kick but chooses not to send off the very lucky Alonso.
51'
Marcos Alonso gets yellow.
Controversy here as Alonso drops to the floor after an aerial duel with Diouf. Replays however show that Diouf barely made contact with the full-back. The referee has made the sensible decision and played on.
Still incensed, Alonso took a heavy first touch and put a hard tackle on Joe Allen and was given a yellow card for his madness.
49'
X. Shaqiri gets yellow.
The first yellow card of the day goes to Xherdan Shaqiri after barging into Christensen. The Swiss player seemed less than amused and began to berate the linesman.
48'
Stoke begin the second period on the attack with Glen Johnson sending in a ball to Choupo-Moting which runs too far for the Cameroonian forward.
46'
Chelsea have got the ball rolling in what promises to be an exciting second half!
44'
Stoke City have had little to cheer about in the first half, which is credit to the way Antonio Conte has set up his side. Shaqiri, Choupo-Moting and Ramadan have not been allowed a second to think in possession with a number of blue shirts immediately swarming to the ball carrier.
42'
Rudiger quickly closes Diouf down on the right and blocks the cross which goes out for a Stoke corner. Shaqiri put the ball in an area devoid of teammates. After Stoke do well to retain possession and put in a cross, a fantastical bicycle kick attempt by Diouf goes well wide of Courtois’ goal.
40'
Diouf’s cross was tipped away by the strong hand of Thibaut Courtois but Stoke come roaring back in attack before a stray pass by Jese is intercepted by Bakayoko. He and his midfield partner Kante have been on top form today, sniffing out danger before it can manifest.
38'
Shaqiri’s corner-kick is an in-swinger that almost met a free Stoke City attacker in the box but the Chelsea defence were alert and quickly cleared any potential danger.
36'
Chelsea building well here, retaining possession and forcing Stoke to chase shadows. This cannot be good for the stamina or the confidence of a home side that has been stunned into submission early.
34'
The strike is taken well but the wall reacted perfectly and Morata cleared it for a corner which is met by Pedro who looks to start a counter for Chelsea.
33'
Chelsea give away a free-kick right on the edge of the area and Xherdan Shaqiri steps up to take it with his left foot.
32'
The usually reliable Fletcher has heaped more misery upon his side and done nothing to assist an already makeshift backline. Stoke will have to dig deep and show more in their attacking forays if they want to get anything from this game.
30'
Pedro has scored a goal for Chelsea!
GOOOAAAAAAAAL AND JUST LIKE THAT IT’S 2-0. Captain Darren Fletcher received the ball at chest level but plays it backwards right onto the path of Pedro who collects gratefully and shoots from just outside the penalty area. The brilliant finish curled away from Butland’s outstretched hand and into the left-hand side of the goal. The visitors have doubled their lead.
28'
Jese got himself into a great position inside the Chelsea penalty area but Kante and Azpilicueta rapidly swarm the former Real Madrid attacker and the once promising attack fizzled out quickly.
26'
Stoke have been dominated by Chelsea in possession statistics so far – but neither team has used their share of the ball effectively. Chelsea have not put together a sustained wave of pressure since going a goal up.
24'
Stoke misplace a pass and once again give possession back to Chelsea deep in the Chelsea third. The Potters will have to be much more accurate in their passing to break down the solid Chelsea rearguard.
22'
Shaqiri was thrown off the ball by Antonio Rudiger in Chelsea's half but the challenge was deemed fair by referee Mike Dean – much to the fury of the Swiss forward.
20'
STAT: Chelsea have scored two goals in both of their first two away Premier League games this season – winning both by identical 2-1 score lines.
18'
Chelsea is making Stoke earn every opportunity. The Blues have closed down space remarkably well, especially in their own third and are allowing Stoke to control possession in front of them.
16'
Morata tries a deft flick on the half-way line but Pedro slightly overruns the touch. Had that come off, the Chelsea would have had the space and the numbers to put together a meaningful attack.
15'
Willian ghosts past Joe Allen twice before crossing to Alonso on the left-hand side. His first-time ball is blocked and goes out for a wasted throw-in. Stoke once again regain possession in their own half after sloppy Chelsea build-up play.
13'
Diouf gives away an unnecessary free-kick in his own half after fouling Marcos Alonso while the ball was in the air. Chelsea opted to pass the ball and have since lost possession. Morata, frustrated, gives away a foul himself.
11'
The corner whipped in by Shaqiri misses everybody and N’Golo Kante wins the free ball but is unable to start a meaningful counter-attack.
10'
Stoke are trying to get a foothold in this game but their passing move is forced all the way back to the keeper before piling forward once again. Diouf’s cross is blocked by Alonso and out for a corner.
8'
Antonio Conte’s men are as confident in defensive situations as they are on the ball. They have been able to pass and move without much opposition in the midfield and have adapted a tactic of the long ball over the top to take advantage of Stoke’s lack of height at the back.
6'
Chelsea are swarming and pressing Stoke unrelentingly and are doing well forcing the Potters to commit turnovers in attacking positions. This is the kind of solidity that won the Blues last year's Premier League crown.
4'
Stoke will need to respond positively after going behind so early. The creativity of Shaqiri will play a huge role in today’s game but at the minute Stoke aren’t being allowed to breathe on the ball.
2'
Álvaro Morata has scored a goal for Chelsea! Assist by César Azpilicueta.
ITS ALREADY 1-0 CHELSEA IN UNDER TWO MINUTES! Bakayoko won the ball back in his own half before feeding it to Azpilicueta. The Spanish centre-back lifted a long ball over the Stoke defence to an onrushing Morata who maintained an onside position. All Morata had to do was roll the ball past Butland.
Azpilicueta gets credited with the assist after lifting the ball beautifully over the Stoke defence and into the path of Morata.
1'
Stoke City get the match underway in their traditional red and white strip attacking from left to right!
Pedro’s day is done, with the former Barcelona man being replaced by Cesc Fabregas.
The defending champions have so far staked their claim to repeat last years’ title. Chelsea have amassed 10 points in five matches in Antonio Conte’s second season, leaving them three points off of first place Manchester City. Undefeated in their last five games in all competitions including a midweek thrashing of Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup, Chelsea will be full of confidence ahead of this afternoon’s fixture.
Defending has been a primary point of concern for the once impenetrable Potters. They have conceded at least two goals in four of their last five contests in all competitions – winning two out of a possible nine points. Injuries to Ryan Shawcross, Kevin Wimmer and Geoff Cameron have complicated matters further, forcing Mark Hughes to be resourceful with his squad.
Antonio Conte has opted for eight changes from their midweek victory over Nottingham Forest. Thibaut Courtois regains his place in goal while Azpilicueta replaces Gary Cahill and will wear the captain’s armband. After a first full 90 minutes of the season on Wednesday, Eden Hazard will be used as an impact substitute against Stoke. Zappacosta, Fabregas, Kenedy, Musonda, and Batshuayi are the other players who have been rotated out to make way for Moses, Kante, Alonso, Willian, Morata and Pedro.
Stoke make five changes from the side that were knocked out of the EFL Cup to Bristol City with Jack Butland, Erik Pieters, Mame Biram Diouf, Joe Allen, Xherdan Shaqiri and Jese coming in for Grant, Wimmer, Zouma, Tymon and Peter Crouch.
The hosts have been in poor form as of late, with consecutive defeats to Newcastle and Bristol in the Premier League and EFL Cup respectively. Stoke come into this clash sitting in 13th place, one point away from the relegation zone.
Good afternoon and welcome to our live Premier League commentary of Stoke versus Chelsea from the Bet365 Stadium.
Chelsea starting XI (3-4-3): Thibaut Courtois; Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger; Victor Moses, Tiemoue Bakayoko, N'Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Willian, Alvaro Morata, Pedro.
Chelsea substitutes: Willy Caballero, Gary Cahill, Davide Zappacosta, Cesc Fabregas, Charly Musonda, Eden Hazard, Michy Batshuayi.
Mark Hughes’ defensive unit is in turmoil. Kurt Zouma is ineligible to feature today as Chelsea is his parent club. Further the aforementioned injuries to Ryan Shawcross, Kevin Wimmer and Geoff Cameron have forced the Potters to deploy Mame Biram Diouf in a wing-back position.
Stoke starting XI (4-2-3-1): Jack Butland; Glen Johnson, Bruno Martins Indi, Erik Pieters, Mame Biram Diouf; Darren Fletcher, Joe Allen: Ramadan Sobhi, Xherdan Shaqiri, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting: Jese.
Stoke substitutes: Lee Grant, Saido Berahino, Josh Tymon, Ibrahim Afellay, Charlie Adam, Peter Crouch, Harry Souttar.
The one minute of additional time is over and the referee blows his whistle to signal the end of the first half.
It has been a fantastic first half for the visitors who found themselves with a goal advantage two minutes into the contest. The lack of size in the Stoke defence was quickly punished with a beautiful Azpilicueta long ball to Morata. Chelsea then doubled their lead after an unfortunate error committed by captain Darren Fletcher allowed Pedro to go in on goal alone.
Mark Hughes must be ruing his lack of options – being forced to employ the attacking Diouf at wing-back. While he has shown flashes going forward, he has done little to help stop Chelsea’s waves of possession and pressure. The Welsh coach does have a host of options that he can use to change the game, with Berahino, Crouch and the returning Afellay all waiting to come off the bench and make an immediate offensive impact.
Chelsea are cruising to three points without requiring the services of regular skipper Gary Cahill or the skill and vision of Eden Hazard and Cesc Fabregas. It is the best Conte could have hoped for, especially with a tough midweek game against Atletico Madrid to come
The referee blows his whistle for the final time today. Full Time from the Bet365 Stadium: Stoke 0 – 4 Chelsea.
It was a day that started well and ended even better for the visitors. Morata gave Chelsea the lead after two minutes and led 2-0 by half time. Two more goals from the former Real Madrid and Juventus striker in the second period put the game away and ensured that the Blues were deserving of the three points.
It has been a dismal run of results and Mark Hughes will look to right the ship next Saturday when Southampton travel to the Bet365 Stadium. The manager will be hoping that seven days of rest are enough to get back a few vital players from the injury list and put together a better defensive display than today.
This will send Chelsea into their midweek Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid in high spirits having scored 9 goals in their last two games. Stoke; on the other hand, find themselves in a rut, having failed to score a single goal in their two matches this week.
Thank you for joining us for our live text commentary of Stoke versus Chelsea from the Bet365 Stadium. We hope to see you next time!
Commentary
More…