The red-and-white-striped opposition keep coming as Chelsea seek a fourth straight league win. Sunderland had enjoyed a 100 per cent record in their previous three home games under Gustavo Poyet before the Blues' pulsating 4-3 win there, which made it nine on the spin at the Stadium of Light.

More quirkily, it was also the 13th straight win against teams beginning with 'S' for José Mourinho, once infamous for a cup final 'Sssssh'. Perhaps the win will hush some of the critics who suggested the cosmopolitan Blues will not like it up 'em on a cold night up north. Such a showing is timely ahead of the imminent meetings with Stoke, Steaua and Sunderland again.

Chelsea's manager hailed the midweek victory as by far the best team performance away from home this season - other than 'three ridiculous goals' from poorly-defended set plays.

Former Blues hero Poyet joined the Portuguese in lavishing praise on one of his successors at Stamford Bridge, Eden Hazard, who earned a few 10-out-of-10 ratings with two goals, an assist and countless other exhilarating moments. The challenge for the brilliant Belgian - still only 22, remember - is to hit such heights consistently.

Even that, though, falls short of an individual display in Chelsea's 4-0 triumph at Stoke last season. Jon Walters' two own goals, missed penalty and volley into his own face will take some eclipsing.

The Blues are salvaging points yet again this season. There are two ways that can change: stop going behind, or stop turning it around.

The set-piece defending on Wednesday would have had former Potters boss Tony Pulis salivating, but he is now at Crystal Palace and must wait a week to deploy his tactics at the Bridge. His successor, another former Chelsea legend, Mark Hughes, takes a more circuitous route to goal.

The Potters have managed just five goals in seven games at the Britannia Stadium this campaign and only Arsenal have a better record in the last five away games than Chelsea's three wins, one draw and one defeat.

Yet the three attacking midfielders will have to be at their creative best against the obdurate hosts on Saturday - Mark Hughes's side have conceded once in the last four home matches. Stoke season ticket holders have witnessed just eight league goals this term, the fewest of any in the top flight.

Chelsea's win rate of 73 per cent against Hughes as a manager is slightly lower than against his predecessor. As a player he was one of true greats whose arrival transformed our club in the 1990s, and no game contribution captures that impact better than the 4-2 FA Cup triumph over Liverpool in 1997.

Hughes was the proud possessor of a Peter Bonetti Chelsea kit as a child and in a week of reunions it will be good to see him and back-to-back Premier League champion Robert Huth, who is unfortunately recuperating from surgery at present.

Both enjoyed the FA Cup at Chelsea. Huth scored one of his two goals for the club in the competition and Hughes won it in 1997. The draw for the third round of this season's Cup takes place on Sunday, live on ITV1, after the Tamworth v Bristol City match, around 4.10pm.

The Blues have the chance to close the gap behind leaders Arsenal to a single point on Saturday as the Gunners host in-form Everton on Sunday. The Toffees have drawn on two of their last four Emirates visits.

Man City travel to Southampton, the venue last season for an error-strewn performance that led to a 1-3 defeat - Mauricio Pochettino's first win with Saints.


- Match preview by chelseafc.com