Chelsea have been the unstoppable force and immovable object combined over the past 12 games in the Premier League and next up in their record-breaking run are Stoke City. The New Year's Eve Premier League match at Stamford Bridge looks like going only one way with the Blues in sight of breaking more records.
Chelsea vs Stoke City team news
The Blues broke their own club mark when they beat Bournemouth 3-0 on Boxing Day to register a 12th consecutive win in the Premier League. If they beat Stoke on Saturday they will equal Arsenal's all-time record of 13 consecutive Premier League wins. Add the fact that a victory will mean a nine-point lead at the top, there is more than enough motivation for the Blues to pick Stoke apart.
Chelsea showed in that win over Bournemouth, they are capable of being just as good, just as ruthless even without N'Golo Kante and Diego Costa. Both players were suspended for the Boxing Day match, but that did not stop Antonio Conte's men from easing to another win.
The fact that this game will be played at home and they will be up against a side who were beaten 4-1 by Liverpool on Tuesday, means Chelsea, who have conceded just two goals in the incredible run, will fancy their chances of making it 13 consecutive victories in the Premier League.
Stoke will hope they catch Chelsea on an off day – both up front and at the back, where they have been ridiculously good. The Potters played really well for the first 20-30 minutes of the match against Liverpool, before going to pieces when the Reds found the equaliser via Adam Lallana. What Mark Hughes will want is a strong start coupled with a consistent level of performance through the entire 90 minutes.
"We've got to be positive going down there," Hughes said. "Teams have gone to places like this before tried to get people behind the ball and hoped for the best, but then when they've conceded they haven't had the capability to change the game markedly to try and get back into it.
"My view, and it always has been, is to have a game plan, try and effect the opposition and see where that takes us. Can we get in a winning position ... and from that point maybe protect what we've got?
"Just getting people behind the ball doesn't pay dividends more often than not against the top teams."
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