Chelsea striker Diego Costa. (Photo : Getty Images)
Reigning English Premier League champions Chelsea FC (10-9-9, 39 points) will try to continue their slow ascent in the overall standings away from relegation as the team meets rising squad Stoke City (12-10-6, 42 points) at the Stamford Bridge on March 5th, Saturday for a 2015-2016 Premier League season match.
Chelsea is currently on a 12-game undefeated run after their 2-1 victory over newly-promoted squad Norwich City at the Carrow Road on Tuesday, as reported by BBC Sport.
Brazilian defender Kenedy netted a goal from 20 yards out after only 39 seconds, the fastest goal of this season, to give the Blues an early lead.
After that, resident striker Diego Costa, who is wearing a protective mask, scored a second one at the stroke of halftime to give interim head coach Guus Hiddink's side a 2-0 lead at the break. The goal was controversial in nature as Norwich manager Alex Neil thought Costa was in an offside position, but the referee counted it nonetheless.
The Canaries, who sank into the bottom-three relegation area after the loss, scored a consolation goal at the 68th via a smashing strike by midfielder Nathan Redmond that pierced the roof of the net.
With the win, the Pensioners rose to the no. 10 spot of the league table, 15 points away from the relegation zone but a long 18 points adrift of league leaders Leicester City.
Meanwhile, Stoke City won its third straight game after nipping struggling team Newcastle United, 1-0, at their home field of Britannia Stadium on Wednesday, as per SkySports.
Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri scored the lone goal of the match ten minutes before the full time whistle, which proved to be the winner for Mark Hughes' squad.
The three-game winning run elevated the Potters to the seventh position in the league table after battling relegation during the first few months of the season.
The predicted result is a 3-1 victory for Chelsea. In a battle of teams currently on winning streaks, the Blues will continue their resurgence and snap the Potters' surge.
Chelsea starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Courtois; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Kenedy; Fabregas, Matic; Traore, Oscar, Hazard; Costa
Stoke City starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Butland; Bardsley, Cameron, Wollscheid, Pieters; Whelan, Imbula; Shaqiri, Afellay, Arnautovic; Walters
