2. Can Stoke contain Hazard?
HazardAt the start of the season, all the talk was about the Fabregas and Costa combination, and how Chelsea had effectively managed to find a midfielder-striker relationship that is second to none. There was little of the little Belgian attacker, who was Chelsea’s best player last season. But slowly in the background, Eden Hazard was doing his bit for the team. And once the assists from Fabregas and the goals from Costa started to dry up, the Belgian found the perfect opportunity to put his best foot forward.
The 24-year-old has scored three goals in his last four club games and is arguably the side’s most potent attacker at the moment. Only four teams have conceded fewer away goals than Stoke this season and if they want to continue their record on Saturday, they will need to keep Hazard quiet. That is easier said than done, as Stoke found out in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign. But if they can stop the diminutive Belgian from his usual bag of tricks, then they can add the Blues to their list of victims, away from home.