Match ends, Stoke City 1, Chelsea 2.
Gary Cahill made up for conceding a penalty by scoring a late winner as Chelsea moved a step closer to the Premier League title with victory at Stoke.
The England defender settled a heated encounter three minutes from time by sweeping home after Stoke failed to clear a Cesc Fabregas corner.
It sent Chelsea 13 points clear at the top with 10 games to play.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa was involved in a running battle with Stoke's defenders - being booked himself and involved in incidents that saw Bruno Martins Indi and Phil Bardsley cautioned.
And the home side were reduced to 10 men in added time when Bardsley was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Willian had given Chelsea a first-half lead with an inswinging free-kick from the left that caught out keeper Lee Grant at his near post.
Martins Indi had a goal ruled out for a push by Saido Berahino on Cesar Azpilicueta, but the hosts drew level when Cahill was ruled to have pushed Jon Walters, who blasted in the penalty.
The visitors had nearly all the chances, with Marcos Alonso firing a free-kick against the bar and Pedro denied by a fine Grant save.
No Hazard - no problem
Even the absence of Eden Hazard with a muscle problem did not ultimately thwart Chelsea, whose relentless consistency has been extraordinary.
Hazard's absence, only confirmed an hour before kick-off, was the major surprise as Antonio Conte's side sought a fifth successive win.
Pedro proved a willing deputy, but it was two players who scored against Stoke in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge who provided the goals.
Willian, who struck twice in a 4-2 win over Hughes' side on New Year's Eve, caught out Grant with a marvellous piece of quick thinking to whip his first-half free-kick inside the near post.
Cahill's winner actually came after a decent five-minute spell of Stoke pressure as the game opened up in the closing stages.
The decisive goal was a tribute to the work ethic Conte has instilled in his players - coming from a corner won after substitute Ruben Loftus-Cheek harassed Erik Pieters into over-hitting a back pass.
Chelsea have now won 20 of their past 23 matches in all competitions, and look unstoppable.
Costa causes chaos
Stoke boss Mark Hughes has spoken in the past of his admiration for Costa - a striker of undoubted talent who plays on the edge.
Hughes, a fearsome centre-forward in his playing days, has suggested he sees a bit of his own playing style in Costa's game.
The Spain international certainly did his best to rough up Stoke's defenders, and seemed in danger of getting sent off after he was booked with barely a quarter-of-an-hour gone.
His tussles with Martins Indi were a feature of the game from the off, and referee Anthony Taylor had to speak to both players following an early off-the-ball tangle.
Costa, though, drew the Stoke defenders into the battle - and then concentrated more on his football after half-time to keep himself out of trouble.
He made sure not to retaliate when Bardsley clattered him shortly before the break, then forced Martins Indi into a challenge for which he was booked.
There was to be no goal for Costa - chasing his 50th in the Premier League - but he still came out smiling as Stoke lost their discipline.
Stoke fall short against big boys
Hughes has managed a consistency of his own since arriving at Stoke in 2013 - three successive ninth-place finishes, and a fourth more than likely.
His players showed they were more than ready to match Chelsea physically, as Martins Indi and Ryan Shawcross relished their battle with Costa, but the home side were second best here.
Walters' penalty was their only shot on target, and although they did well to stay in the game for so long, there was no question the visitors deserved their win.
Stoke, nonetheless, showed the grit that earned them a draw at Manchester City in their last match, and Geoff Cameron did a fine job in helping out his defenders when Chelsea's sharp passing threatened to overwhelm them.
In the end, it was not enough - and Stoke remain without a win this season against any side currently in the top half of the table.
Man of the match - Willian (Chelsea)
Chelsea's free-kick wonder
- Eight of Willian's past 19 goals for Chelsea have been from direct free-kicks.
- The Brazilian's goal was his sixth in the Premier League this season - his best tally in a single campaign in the competition.
- Stoke have won only one of their 13 Premier League games against teams placed top of the table on the day of the game (W1 D2 L10).
- Cahill is the first Chelsea player to score a goal and concede a penalty in the same Premier League game since Salomon Kalou did so against West Ham in April 2009.
- Walters has been directly involved in 60 Premier League goals for Stoke (42 goals, 18 assists); more than any other Potters player.
- Azpilicueta made his 150th Premier League appearance for Chelsea, becoming the first Spaniard to reach the milestone for the Blues.
- Stoke have won only two of their 18 Premier League meetings with Chelsea (D3 L13).
What's next?
The Premier League takes a break for the next round of World Cup qualifiers, after which Chelsea host Crystal Palace on 1 April, the same day Stoke visit Leicester.
Line-ups
Stoke
Formation 4-4-2
- 33Grant
- 2BardsleyBooked at 90mins
- 17Shawcross
- 15Martins IndiBooked at 65mins
- 3PietersBooked at 65mins
- 10Arnautovic
- 20CameronBooked at 90mins
- 4AllenBooked at 15mins
- 32SobhiSubstituted forCrouchat 90+2'minutes
- 19Walters
- 9BerahinoSubstituted forDioufat 61'minutes
Substitutes
- 5Muniesa Martínez
- 6Whelan
- 14Afellay
- 16Adam
- 18Diouf
- 24Given
- 25Crouch
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-3
- 13Courtois
- 28Azpilicueta
- 30David Luiz
- 24Cahill
- 15MosesSubstituted forFàbregasat 70'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 7Kanté
- 21MaticSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 82'minutes
- 3Alonso
- 22WillianSubstituted forZoumaat 88'minutes
- 19Diego CostaBooked at 17mins
- 11Pedro
Substitutes
- 1Begovic
- 4Fàbregas
- 5Zouma
- 6Aké
- 14Loftus-Cheek
- 23Batshuayi
- 29Chalobah
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 27,724
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home36%
- Away64%
- Shots
- Home5
- Away20
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away7
- Corners
- Home5
- Away11
- Fouls
- Home16
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Stoke City 1, Chelsea 2.
Dismissal
Second yellow card to Phil Bardsley (Stoke City) for a bad foul.
Post update
Cesc Fàbregas (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Phil Bardsley (Stoke City).
Booking
Cesc Fàbregas (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Ryan Shawcross.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Diego Costa (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Cesc Fàbregas.
Post update
Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Lee Grant.
Post update
Attempt saved. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Pedro.
Post update
Diego Costa (Chelsea) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Pedro.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Peter Crouch replaces Ramadan Sobhi.
Booking
Geoff Cameron (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Diego Costa (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Geoff Cameron (Stoke City).
Post update
Attempt missed. Pedro (Chelsea) left footed shot from the right side of the box is too high. Assisted by Cesc Fàbregas following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Joe Allen.
Post update
Foul by Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea).
Post update
Erik Pieters (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Kurt Zouma replaces Willian.
Comments
Join the conversation
Look mate I am Birmingham Fan and we have had such a hard time running a club on 50p a week. If someone came in injected a billion all of us would accept it without blinking an eye
Stop being jealous, you would be the same with your club, its not the fans decision how much money the club has, just enjoy the football. Chelsea are amazing this year with a great manager
Fantastic fighting spirit to get the late winner. The title must certainly be ours now.
Champions elect & i've said all along Conte was the man........
Nothing short of fantastic this season and there is no greater feeling in football than last minute winners.
Conte is a top manager, he really is the special one with lots of humility.
That sounds a lot like jealousy/bitterness and envy to me mate...
We live in the here and now,not the 1980's when,if we are talking facts Man Utd got less than half their attendances of today.
As a 'neutral',it makes me laugh when Chelsea get accused of 'buying success'. What have Man Utd been doing for decades if not the same,and poaching the very best youngsters for good measure.
Chelsea have skill,mental and physical steel and deserve the title.
Success breeds envy and hatred . It's a compliment as we're doing so well .
Would be everyone's second favourite team again if we were also rans. Know what I would prefer .
KTBFFH
As a football family we should be decent, banter and coating off is harmless stuff but really, 20th Century disasters come on. Let's kiss and make up and talk proper
I'm hoping Chelsea break the points record we already own, and win the FA Cup
Said I'd be boring
Chelsea played admirably . Dominated from the offet.
Hit the posts etc .
Cahill has proved to be a real bargain all those years back .
I think it could be our year ?