Mar 18, 2017 at 3pm UK at ​bet365 Stadium
Attendance: 27,724
StokeStoke City
1-2
Chelsea
Walters (38' pen.)
Allen (15'), Bardsley (40'), Martins Indi (65'), Pieters (65'), Cameron (91')
Bardsley (95')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Willian (14'), Cahill (87')
Costa (17'), Fabregas (94')

Mark Hughes contemplating changes for Chelsea visit

Mark Hughes 'smiles' before the match between Manchester City and Stoke City on March 8, 2017
© SilverHub
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes is prepared to make changes to his starting lineup for Saturday's visit of Chelsea, as he looks to halt the Blues' march to the title.

Mark Hughes has revealed that he intends to tweak his system for Stoke City's Premier League meeting with Chelsea, despite a positive run of form.

The Potters picked up a credible goalless draw at Manchester City in their last outing, four days on from getting back to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough.

Hughes is wary of Chelsea's 3-4-3 formation, however, which has seen them lose just two of their last 26 games in all competitions since being implemented, and is contemplating changes for the visit of the runaway leaders to the bet365 Stadium this weekend.

"They play in a slightly different way than Manchester City do with three at the back, as opposed to four, so we will do a bit of work on that," he told reporters. "There may well be a few changes but not radical ones.

"We've got good options at the moment and sometimes you have to be fair to the guys who have helped you get positive results, albeit I will always try to pick a team that I feel is best capable of winning a match. That sometimes means changing a winning team."

Hughes also revealed on the eve of the match that Xherdan Shaqiri is in contention to feature, while Jack Butland is back in training and close to a first-team return.

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Stoke City's Bruno Martins Indi on March 8, 2017
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Chelsea28223359213869
2Tottenham HotspurSpurs28178355213459
3Manchester CityMan City28176554302457
4Liverpool29168561362556
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd271410342231952
6Arsenal27155756342250
7Everton29148751302150
8West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom29127103938143
9Stoke CityStoke2999113342-936
10Southampton2796123336-333
11Bournemouth2996144254-1233
12West Ham UnitedWest Ham2996144052-1233
13Burnley2995153142-1132
14Watford2887133348-1531
15Leicester CityLeicester2886143347-1430
16Crystal Palace2884163646-1028
17Swansea CitySwansea2983183663-2727
18Hull City2966172658-3224
19Middlesbrough28410142033-1322
20Sunderland2855182450-2620