Barclays Premier League

STOKE CITY 0 - 4 CHELSEA

Jonathan Walters had an afternoon to forget as his two own-goals helped Chelsea to a 4-0 win against a Stoke side who went into the game with the best home defensive record in the top-flight. The Potters had only conceded seven goals on their own patch all season before today, and looked as if they may frustrate Chelsea with a solid defensive performance in a first half of few chances. However, just seconds before the break, Jonathan Walters dived ahead of the waiting Juan Mata to power a header beyond his own goalkeeper, and he managed an even more calamitous own-goal after the break – allowing a Mata corner to strike him on the back of the head and loop into the net in almost comical fashion. Stoke thought they had a route back into the game when Cesar Azpilicueta brought down Matthew Etherington in the box, only for a correct offside decision to deny them a spot-kick, and moments Frank Lampard slammed home a penalty at the other end of the pitch. A sensational strike by Eden Hazard wrapped up the three points for Chelsea, who jump above Spurs into third, just four points behind Man City. With the game meandering, there was still time for Walters to suffer another disappointment, slamming a penalty against the bar with just minutes left on the clock. At the Britannia Stadium it finished Stoke City 0, Chelsea 4.

FULL-TIME

The final whistle goes and the travelling Chelsea fans celebrate a comfortable 4-0 win that ends Stoke's unbeaten home record this season. Jonathan Walters walks to the corner of the ground to clap the fans who are cheering his name despite a performance that saw him score two own-goals and miss a penalty.

OFF THE BAR!!!

It is fair to say that it's not Jonathan Walters' day. The Stoke attacker has fired two headers beyond his own goalkeeper, and wastes a golden chance to at least take something from the game as he slams his penalty attempt against the top of the crossbar and over.

PENALTY!!!

John Terry's return to the Chelsea first team has not gone entirely to plan, with the centre-back bringing down Jonathan Walters in the box and giving away a penalty.

COMFORTABLE IN THE END FOR CHELSEA

This result will make it nine games without defeat for Chelsea at the Britannia Stadium, but today's game looked unlikely to be quite so comfortable for much of the first half. Stoke City were excellent defensively in that opening period, and Jonathan Walters will no doubt feel that his defensive errors either side of half-time have sunk his team. It could have been so different, with the Potters almost getting a penalty of their own moments before Frank Lampard made it 3-0, but credit should go to Chelsea for dealing well with a much more physical Stoke side.

FINAL CHANGE FOR CHELSEA

4-0 up and cruising to a win, Rafa Benitez opts to make his final change, giving Paulo Ferreira a run-out in place of Cesar Azpilicueta.

CAPTAIN. LEADER. LEGEND.

It's a second change for Chelsea, with Juan Mata going off to be replaced by England's brave and loyal John Terry.

BEGOVIC SHARP OFF HIS LINE

Ryan Bertrand makes a clever run in behind the Stoke defence, but Asmir Begovic is alive to the danger and comes steaming off his line to get to the ball first. The Chelsea youngster pats the goalkeeper on the head as he retreats, before offering a thumbs up for the pass.

MORE ON THAT GOAL!

A smart turn by Hazard opened up some space for him within long-range shooting distance, and his swerving strike left Asmir Begovic with no chance as it nestled in the top corner. The ball may have taken the slightest nick off the head of a defender to take it even further out of the reach of the goalkeeper, but either way it was a superb strike!

GOOOAAAALLL!!!

What a goal!!! Eden Hazard makes it 4-0 to Chelsea with a stunning strike from distance!

CHANGE FOR CHELSEA

Demba Ba's afternoon is over, with Fernando Torres coming on in his place. Ba has been decent today, putting himself about and testing the Stoke goalkeeper on a couple of occasions. However, he probably hasn't done enough to guarantee a regular starting spot ahead of the Spaniard.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO STOKE?

So solid at the back all season, the Potters have now conceded nine goals in their last three league games. Tony Pulis will be pulling his hair out… if he can get to it under that firmly planted baseball cap!

SHOULD BE FOUR!

A Chelsea cross is headed into the path of the unmarked Frank Lampard, but Asmir Begovic makes a remarkable point-blank save to prevent the scoreline becoming even more one-sided.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

Frank Lampard slams his penalty high into the roof of the net, and it's 3-0 Chelsea.

PENALTY!

Referee Andre Marriner points to the spot, and Chelsea will have the chance to put this game to bed. Ryan Shawcross is furious about the decision as he didn't make contact with Juan Mata inside the box, but in fact the call was against Robert Huth, who clipped the heels of the Chelsea playmaker just as he looked to pull the trigger.

MORE ON THAT GOAL!

This time it was Juan Mata's cross that led to the goal. Jonathan Walters was more intent on watching Frank Lampard than the ball, and he paid the price as the cross struck him on the back of the head and looped into the net.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

It's 2-0 Chelsea, and another own-goal by Jonathan Walters!

NO PENALTY!

Cesar Azpilicueta looks to have brought down Matthew Etherington inside the area, and the referee seems set to give a penalty... before spotting the offside flag. If Richard Keys or Andy Gray were in the ground today then they'd have been left red-faced, because that was a superb call by the assistant official Sian Massey.

HUTH HEADS WIDE

Robert Huth is climbing all over Branislav Ivanovic from the resulting corner, but the officials don't spot it and Huth really should do better with his header. As it is, Petr Cech can watch the effort sail wide of his right-hand post.

STUNNING STRIKE BY NZONZI

The Chelsea defence stand off Steven Nzonzi, so the midfielder has a crack from distance, and his fizzing effort stings the palms of Petr Cech as the goalkeeper tips it over the bar.

COMFORTABLE FOR BEGOVIC

Ashley Cole meets a Demba Ba cross on the half-volley, but the England left-back's shot was from a tight angle and the save is fairly straightforward for Asmir Begovic at his near post.

NO LOVE LOST ON THE TOUCHLINE

Tony Pulis was not happy about his opposite number's approach of the referee at the end of the first period, and television cameras picked up the Stoke manager getting quite heated with Rafa Benitez as the two headed down the tunnel at half-time.

SECOND HALF

The game is back underway at the Britannia. A correction on the goal: it was in fact the overlapping full-back Cesar Azpilicueta who put in the cross that led to the goal, not Juan Mata.

HALF-TIME

That own-goal in added time at the end of the first-half has given Chelsea the edge they need against a terrifically solid Stoke side. Even the boost of gaining the lead doesn't stop Rafa Benitez from marching onto the pitch and relaying some ‘facts' to referee Andre Marriner… presumably over what he felt should have been a red card for Stoke left-back Andy Wilkinson. Potters boss Tony Pulis will be hugely disappointed to be behind at the break after largely negating the creative side of this Chelsea team, although Asmir Begovic deserves praise for denying both Demba Ba and Frank Lampard – with the latter being a terrific stop. Kenwyne Jones has had the best chance for the hosts, sliding a shot wide from an angle, but Stoke will need to show more attacking intent now that they've gone behind. At the interval at the Britannia Stadium it's Stoke 0, Chelsea 1.

MORE ON THAT GOAL!

A cross by Juan Mata failed to pick out Demba Ba inside the area, but there were plenty of Chelsea players lurking, and in his desperation to help out Jonathan Walters could only divert a header beyond his own goalkeeper. It's the luckiest of goals for Chelsea, but is exactly what a slightly stale game needed ahead of a big second half.

GOOOAAALLL!!!

Chelsea are one up just seconds before the break, and it looks like an own goal by Jonathan Walters.

INTO THE WALL

Frank Lampard goes for goal from a free-kick miles out, but he can't get his shot over the Stoke wall - much to the delight of the Britannia faithful.

WILKINSON IS A LUCKY BOY!

Andy Wilkinson clips Eden Hazard and brings him crashing to the ground inside the Stoke half. That sort of challenge often sees a yellow card, which in this case would have resulted in an early bath for the left-back, but referee Andre Marriner opts to keep his cards in his pocket on this occasion. The home fans are not happy with the fall by Hazard, chanting 'cheat, cheat, cheat' in his direction, but in fairness the Belgian was clearly caught and didn't make too much of a meal of it.

DECENT HIT BY WHELAN

A blocked cross falls perfectly for Glenn Whelan to strike on the half-volley from distance, but his effort is straight into the midriff of a relieved Petr Cech.

YELLOW CARD

Andy Wilkinson picks up the first booking of the game after going in with a rash challenge on Eden Hazard. The Belgian playmaker was going nowhere, and Tony Pulis will be frustrated that his full-back picked up such an unnecessary yellow.

OPTIONS GOING FORWARD

With Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, Frank Lampard and Ramires all busting a gut to get forward, Demba Ba has plenty of support, and Chelsea are looking particularly dangerous when given time and space on the counter-attack.

SOLID IN THE AIR

Chelsea throw numbers forward for the resulting corner, but Stoke have so much height that it is always going to be tricky to get a chance from a set-piece against them, and the clearance is comfortable in the end.

BA GETS A SHOT AWAY

A superb lofted pass by Frank Lampard picks out the run of Demba Ba. The Senegalese striker shrugs off Robert Huth (which is no easy feat) and gets a shot away with his first touch, but Asmir Begovic makes a good save at his near post.

STILL GOALLESS AT STOKE

Stoke have drawn four of their last six league games and only Swansea have managed more home draws this season than the Potters, so the smart money may well be on this game ending all square. Both teams have had one golden chance in the opening half hour, but other than that, the attacking highlights have been extremely limited at the Britannia.

LAMPARD DENIED!

Frank Lampard is slipped through on goal brilliantly by a combination of Eden Hazard and Demba Ba, but Asmir Begovic stretches out a long right leg to make a crucial save to deny the Chelsea and England veteran. That looked like an inevitable goal, but credit should go to the goalkeeper for his superb stop.

CLEVER SET-PIECE ROUTINE

Stoke turn down the option of pumping a free-kick straight into the box, and instead Glenn Whelan switches play out to Steven Nzonzi, who in turn tees up Geoff Cameron for a cross. The Chelsea defence make sure there's no space for a shot from the second ball, but that was dangerous.

AERIAL THREAT

It will come as little surprise to hear that Stoke are looking the most dangerous whenever given the opportunity to lift the ball into the box. So far Chelsea have dealt with it well, but the Potters are a much bigger side physically, and they will get chances in the air before the game is out.

STOP-START GAME AT THE BRITANNIA

The referee's whistle has prevented the game from flowing, but he hasn't had much choice in a game that has been littered with fouls. Chelsea have been the guilty party more often than not, and a sloppy challenge by Eden Hazard gives the home side a chance to pump the ball into the box. It comes to nothing.

FEW SIGHTINGS OF BA SO FAR

The headline writers would have had their pens sharpened for the story that seemed inevitable today – an early goal for Demba Ba. However, so far Chelsea have been unable to get their new striker into the game, and you'd sympathise with Fernando Torres if he had a knowing smile on his face.

DAVID'S FLOWING LOCKS

A vicious Twitter rumour circulating this morning threatened to leave many football fans distraught, but the news is good… David Luiz has NOT had a haircut!

SUPERB CHANCE FOR JONES

Kenwyne Jones gets away from his marker inside the box and slides a shot underneath the onrushing Petr Cech from an angle. Both sets of players watch on helplessly as the ball trickles towards the goal, but it sneaks just the wrong side of the far post from a Stoke perspective and the score remains 0-0.

SOLID START

As you'd expect, Stoke have started cautiously, setting up in defensive banks and shutting Chelsea out in central areas. When the Blues have struggled this season, it has been against disciplined defences (like on Wednesday against Swansea), and Rafa Benitez will be concerned that his team's lack of attacking width may blunt them this afternoon.

EARLY LET-OFF FOR STOKE

Some sloppy play at the back by the home side gifts possession to the most dangerous attacking player on the park – Juan Mata! The Spaniard turns beautifully into space before picking out the run of Ramires, only for Ryan Shawcross to slide in and make a crucial intervention inside the area.

KICK-OFF

The game is underway in Stoke, with the Potters in their usual red and white stripes, and the visitors all in blue.

FORTRESS BRITANNIA

Stoke City are the only team in the Premier League yet to be beaten at home this season. Described recently as the best defence in Europe (by former Chelsea boss AVB), Stoke have also conceded the fewest goals on their own patch – just seven! However, Chelsea have a great record at the ground, having won five and drawn three of their last eight visits to the Britannia in all competitions.

RETURN OF THE CAPTAIN

Leader, legend or liability. Whatever your views on John Terry, Chelsea will be pleased to have him back from injury as he returns to the substitutes bench today. Oscar, Fernando Torres and Marko Marin are the other star names on the bench.

CHELSEA TEAM NEWS

Demba Ba starts for Chelsea, with Fernando Torres on the bench. In other headline news, Frank Lampard also starts, while David Luiz drops back into central defence. Gary Cahill is missing from the squad after become the proud father of a baby boy this morning.

STOKE TEAM NEWS

Stoke's side has a familiar look to it. Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth team up in the centre of defence, while Charlie Adam will look to get forward from a five-man midfield to support Kenwyne Jones.

STAY TUNED

Stay tuned for build-up, team news and live text commentary.

PREVIEW

The Britannia Stadium hosts the latest instalment of the Premier League's biggest soap-opera this afternoon, as Rafa Benitez, Fernando Torres, Frank Lampard and Chelsea Football Club roll into town. Fresh from a disappointing 2-0 defeat in the League Cup to Swansea and 14 points off the pace in the league (albeit with a game in hand), the Blues will be desperate for a win, but won't find it easy against the best defensive outfit in the Premier League.