Costa vs Wollschield And Other Battles That Will Decide Chelsea’s Fate vs Stoke City

The hottest team in the Premier League gathers confidence as they prepare to host Stoke at Stamford Bridge today. With a midweek win over Norwich firmly clutched and an ever-increasing unbeaten league run under Guus Hiddink, the Blues maintain their formidable force itching to climb the table upsetting a certain Stoke City.

The Potters meanwhile emerge from a win against Newcastle at the Brittania Stadium where Xherdan Shaqiri put out a man of the match performance lifting Stoke up to the seventh spot with his third goal of the season.

Interestingly, both the managers smell of European scent as they hope to take their electric form to the next level respectively. Hiddink says Chelsea must look to clinch qualification to the Europa League. On the other side, Potters’ boss Mark Hughes has high-flying hopes with his side who don’t really have a particularly impressive record playing in London having won just one of their last 14 Premier League trips there.

Well, to each his own, as far as the trivia regarding this fixture goes, Guus Hiddink stands unbeaten in his 11 Premier League games as Chelsea manager in this spell – no manager has gone 12 unbeaten at the start of a single spell as a manager at a Premier League club whereas a better positioned Hughes has led his side into the top seven allowing them to dream off of European football.

The three key battles that could decide who wins the game are likely to be as fierce as their names suggest:

Diego Costa vs Phillip Wollschield

The temper king, Diego Costa has a habit of rubbing people up the wrong way and is as physical as a striker comes in the English game. Wollschield and Muniesa will directly face up to him from kick off, provided there are no surprises in team selection from either manager.

Wollschield makes his presence felt, particularly when Chelsea are pushing for the ball. He and Shawcross partner well in every outing. Shawcross misses out this time leaving Wollschield do a lot more than just partnering. He will have to play out of his skin to stop Diego Costa’s onslaughts at Stamford Bridge.

Let us see who blows a kiss and who fires away this time!

Nemanja Matic vs Xherdan Shaqiri

An extremely exciting and adrenaline-pumping battle between the two strong midfielders, Matic and Shaqiri. Both possess the ability to run miles with the ball with an epic work rate. It boils down to who puts in that extra mile of a run to provide for an opening.

Matic would heavily depend on his other attackers as he has quality playmakers alongside him in Willian and Fabregas. He would also complete more passes than the Swiss but is less likely to score by himself.

In contrast, Shaqiri shows his skills almost every time he gets space on the attack, passes boldly by creating chances and is as good as Matic and Willian combined when it comes to physicality in attack, he outplays Baba Rahman in particular but Baba isn’t likely to start. He provides teasing deliveries and the inch-perfect through-ball for Stoke to net an opening goal more often than not.

Eden Hazard vs Glenn Whelan

An unlikely start to the game, nonetheless could prove to be dangerous when he comes on later in the game to mess on Whelan’s wing.

The Belgian is as effervescent as a tropical cocktail, though he had a limping foot towards the end of their victory against the Canaries, if he comes to terms with his on-the-ball skills, Whelan is going to have a horrid time down the wing.

Other close-shave mentions for this fixture go out to Arnautovic, Oscar, Affelay, Fabregas and the best battle ought to be Butland versus Courtois.