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Chelsea aim to get their Premier League challenge back on track when they face Stoke City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening. Having suffered their third straight defeat away from home against PSG in midweek, a return home should be good for The Blues.

They were knocked off the top of the Premier League table last week after suffering a defeat to Crystal Palace, with Liverpool jumping ahead of them after a 4-0 win over Spurs. City and Liverpool now look the frontrunners for the title, with Jose Mourinho even ruling out their chances last weekend.

Chelsea have a lot of work to do, possibly too much according to Mourinho, but one win has changed the landscape of the title race in recent weeks. Liverpool and City both face quite difficult games, so with the title pressure off Chelsea could they haul themselves back in the race this weekend?

They’ll have to do it without a couple of important players. Ramires is currently suspended in both the Premier League and Champions League, after his red card at Aston Villa and booking against PSG in midweek. Samuel Eto’o is also unavailable, with the striker facing a race to get fit for next Tuesday’s return leg against the French side.

With that game following so closely after the clash with Stoke, we may see some players rested for this one. There are likely to be changes in Mourinho’s side anyway, as he has criticised the recent performances of both his attackers and defenders in the last week.

Lack of options in defence means the regular back four will probably feature again, unless John Terry or Gary Cahill are rested and replaced with David Luiz. Nemanja Matic, who is ineligible for the Champions League, will likely return to the side. After their striker-less line up on Wednesday Fernando Torres will probably come in for Andre Schurrle, while Mo Salah could be in line for his first Chelsea start if one of the attackers are rested.

Chelsea suffered a defeat when they met Stoke earlier in the season, going down 3-2 after a late goal from Ousama Assaidi. They have already beaten Stoke at Stamford Bridge this season though, with Oscar scoring in a 1-0 win in the FA Cup.

1-0 has been the final score in Stoke’s last three visits to Stamford Bridge, and with the Potters in good form that wouldn’t be a bad result for the Pensioners on Sunday. Stoke hit four past Aston Villa just a week after Chelsea went there and lost 2-0, so they’re now a side capable of scoring a few away from home.

Chelsea need a defensive performance after their poor showing in midweek, and while Stoke’s two Peters, Odemwingie and Crouch, aren’t exactly Ibrahimovic and Cavani, they’re still a threat. A good defensive performance and result would build momentum ahead of a crucial tie with PSG on Tuesday night and that’s what we predict.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 1-0

Chelsea head in to their Champions League quarter final against PSG looking to erase memories of their defeat at the weekend. Their 1-0 loss at Crystal Palace delivered a possible knock-out blow to their title hopes, and could leave morale low before their trip to France.

The hosts are slight favourites going in to this one, but despite Chelsea’s poor away record of late they’re not to be ruled out. The Blues have performed better in the big games, and with Jose Mourinho at the helm they’ve got a manager capable of changing a game with a well-worked game plan.

There is already guaranteed to be an edge to this game, due to off the pitch incidents. PSG are reportedly making moves for Oscar and Eden Hazard among other Blues stars. Mourinho has already slapped a £300million asking price on the two playmakers, while PSG seem to be trying to turn the players’ heads with players coming out and talking up the transfers. This is sure to add a fascinating subplot to the game and it will be interesting to see how the pair perform.

Despite that, both players remain committed to the club and Hazard has been talking about just how they need to go about their meeting with the Parisians. The Belgian compared them to Arsenal, saying, “PSG are a bit like Arsenal – they like to dictate the play and if we’re ready, if we close them down and go for their throats straight away, things will become a bit more difficult for them.”

A 6-0 mauling along the lines of the Arsenal game may be unlikely, but Hazard is clearly up for this match, arguably his biggest since he joined the club. Mourinho may not want to attack PSG quite like the Belgian does, but this should be a good contest between two well matched sides.

PSG come in to this game having won nine games on the trot, and they’re likely to go out and try to make a statement against Chelsea on Wednesday. Having beaten Bayer Leverkusen 6-1 on aggregate, and pushing Barcelona all the way in last season’s quarter finals, PSG are showing a lot in Europe but they need one big result to show they’ve really arrived.

With both sides having an array of talent, you feel that the difference could well come from the touchline. Mourinho will be up against former France boss Laurent Blanc, a man who was well down PSG’s wish list after ex Blue Carlo Ancelotti left last summer.

Mourinho will enjoy a battle like this, especially as he looks to win the one trophy that escaped him in his first spell at the Bridge. Blanc’s last role saw his side fail to make their mark on Euro 2012, and with Mourinho’s big game pedigree the tactical battle could just win this tie.

LCN Verdict: 2-2 draw

Chelsea take on Crystal Palace this weekend looking to consolidate their place at the top of the Premier League table. After their outstanding 6-0 win over Arsenal last week, the Blues come in to this game full of confidence as they look for their first league title since 2010.

That hammering of the Gunners was Jose Mourinho’s biggest ever win as Chelsea boss, and it was Chelsea’s fourth win in five games. If they can keep up that sort of winning form they’ll be confident of lifting the title, but they know it’s out of their hands at the minute with Manchester City’s games in hand.

Chelsea are currently on a poor run of form on the road, having won just one of their last five away trips. That one win did come in London, in a 3-1 win just down the road at Fulham. The Blues have lost two (at Aston Villa and Manchester City) and drawn two (Galatasaray and West Brom) of their last five away games in all competitions, and they really need to turn that form around in the title run in.

With a good run of eminently winnable matches coming up in the Premier League for Chelsea, starting with Palace, this could be a great chance for Mourinho’s men to stamp their authority on the title race. They beat Palace 2-1 in the meeting at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season; Fernando Torres opened the scoring before Marouane Chamakh equalised, before Ramires scored the winner.

Ramires won’t be available to score the winner at Selhurst Park, with the Brazilian serving the second game of his suspension after his sending off at Villa Park two weeks ago. Aside from that Chelsea’s only potential absentees are injury concerns Ashley Cole, who has been displaced at left back after the great form of Cesar Azplicueta, and Samuel Eto’o. The Cameroon forward scored against Arsenal, but he limped off after 10 minutes.

Willian, who was also sent off at Villa Park, returns from his suspension and is in contention for a return to the side. It’s hard to see Mourinho changing much following the 6-0 win over Arsenal though. Eden Hazard, Andre Schurrle and Oscar all scored, so it might seem a little harsh for any of them to make way for Willian. Torres will likely replace Eto’o as he did on Saturday.

The only reason that there may be changes would be rotation ahead of the trip to Paris on Wednesday night for the Champions League clash with PSG. With that game in mind Mourinho may look to rest a few players. Mohammed Salah could replace one of the attacking midfielders if they are rested, as he impressed after coming off the bench against the Gunners and even managed to find his first Chelsea goal.

This game will have fond memories for Mourinho, with his first ever away match with Chelsea coming at Selhurst Park back in 2004. That was the Portuguese’s second game in charge of Chelsea, after a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Stamford Bridge just a few days before, and his side won 2-0. We fancy the same again this time around.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0

Chelsea face Galatasaray in their Champions League last 16 game that will no doubt be overshadowed by Didier Drogba’s return to Stamford Bridge. The Ivorian will play at the Bridge for the first time since hitting the winning penalty in the 2012 Champions League final, but will he return to break Chelsea hearts?

Drogba’s return will no doubt be an emotional one for Blues fans, much like Jose Mourinho’s return against Hull at the start of the season. But, in the midst of all that there is a Champions League quarter final place up for grabs. This is the most undecided tie of the round, with the first leg finishing 1-1 in Turkey. It’s not a result Chelsea can, or should, cling on to at home. They need a win.

Chelsea come in to this having lost 1-0 to Aston Villa at the weekend, a result which once again throws the destination of the Premier League title up in the air. Chelsea lead by four points from Liverpool, who have a game in hand, and they’re six points ahead of Manchester City, who have three games in hand.

A Champions League victory is exactly what is needed around Stamford Bridge to bounce back from the weekend’s defeat so Drogba’s return is hardly ideal. What should be a focused job will be interrupted by the return of a club legend. Despite that, Drogba’s return will be welcomed all round as it’s a sight few thought they’d see again, even though he’s not wearing blue.

Gala did manage to make last year’s quarter finals, going down to Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid, so they’re far from a walkover for the Blues. They’re on a 12 game unbeaten run, and they’ve got a proven match winner up front in Drogba. Chelsea have already lost once at home in the Champions League, a 2-1 defeat to Basel, and they’ll need to avoid another defeat if they’re to make it any further in Europe this season.

Chelsea have won 10 of their last 11 home games, and that record should go on here; Mourinho has unfinished business with the Champions League from his first spell at the club, and he knows he needs a result to get things back on track after ending the game against Villa with just nine men.

Chelsea may not be the favourites to win the Champions league but this squad, and Drogba, know that it’s not always Europe’s most talented team who are crowned kings of the continent. With two-time European Cup winner Mourinho in charge, Chelsea will be a threat for the trophy, and they should certainly do enough to progress to the next round.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 3-1

Aston Villa are Chelsea’s next opponents and with Arsenal and Liverpool not in action till the following day – and facing tough trips to Man United and Spurs respectively – the Blues have a chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to an impressive 10 points.

At the start of the season the teams met at Stamford Bridge and the home side narrowly won 2-1. That was a close game and the Villains could easily have nicked a draw but Mourinho’s men have improved since then and, despite this one being away from home, they will fancy they can get the win that would give them that double-digit lead with only eight games (for them) left to play.

On that day back in August it was a Branislav Ivanovic header that won the game after Christian Benteke had made the scores level following an early own goal. It was a controversial game and the visitors left west London feeling aggrieved about a number of refereeing decisions and they are sure to be looking for revenge here.

Benteke was injured shortly after that game and struggled to find form when he returned to first team action but two goals in his last game could prove to be a turning point. On his day the muscular Belgian is unplayable, his combination of pace, power and finishing making him unstoppable, but his days of greatness this season have been far too few. Moreover, Chelsea will feel that their experienced and talented defensive unit can handle him, especially as Villa’s other threats are relatively limited.

Paul Lambert’s men, who are 11th with 31 points, have scored four goals in two of their last three home games but even that still leaves them with just the 14th most potent home attack in the top flight. Allied to the 18th best defence on home soil this has produced an unimpressive set of results at Villa Park and given Chelsea have won the last four league games between the teams by an aggregate of 16-4 they will be confident of taking the three points.

The Pensioners, like their hosts, have no new injury concerns but David Luiz and Fernando Torres remain doubts. Chelsea have an important game at home against Galatasaray just three days after this so The Special One may look to use his squad but overall we feel the Blues will just have too much ability, determination and, after 11 wins and three draws in the last 14 league games, too much confidence for the home team.

Chelsea have the best away defensive record in the top flight and if they can keep Benteke quiet they can keep yet another clean sheet and get the win, with 2-0 our prediction.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-0

The latest massive match for Chelsea comes along on Saturday in the early evening kick off when Tottenham make the short trip across London. Spurs have the best away record in the Premier League, but with the Blues on a 13-game unbeaten run in the top flight and remaining unbeaten at home it is no surprise to see Jose Mourinho’s men as favourites to take the victory.

Last time out Chelsea went round the corner to struggling Fulham and came away 3-1 victors. The scoreline doesn’t tell the whole story though, the Cottagers having battled well in the first half and perhaps having the better of the play. It was goalless at the break but the Blues came out for the second half with a more attacking mindset, Eden Hazard running rings around a tiring Fulham midfield and Andre Schurrle scoring an impressive hat-trick.

Spurs had to dig deep for their victory at White Hart Lane on Sunday against another struggling side, Cardiff City. The match ended 1-0 to the home side thanks to a rare Roberto Soldado goal, but the Bluebirds remained in the match right until the end and had chances to level or even nick the win. But three points is three points and Spurs boss Tim Sherwood will be happy to focus on the Chelsea game and is likely to be optimistic of his side’s chances of getting at least a point.

When the sides met at the Lane in September the match ended 1-1, Gylfi Sigurdsson scoring for the home side in the first half but John Terry levelling for the visitors in the second. Five of the last seven league matches between them have ended all-square and we wouldn’t be surprised to see another draw on Saturday as the Blues take few risks due to Tottenham’s ability to hit teams on the break.

Much will depend on the two sides’ ability to convert any chances they are able to create. Chelsea’s strikers continue to misfire but in Emmanuel Adebayor Spurs have a prolific goalscorer who is high on confidence and playing very well. But Chelsea’s midfield goal threat is potent enough for them to get on the scoresheet and we think overall the home side will edge this one.

Mourinho’s men are currently on 63 points from their 28 games, four points clear of second place Liverpool and third place Arsenal (both of whom have played the same number of games) and six ahead of Manchester City, though the League Cup winners have two games in hand.

With just 10 league matches remaining for both Chelsea and Spurs, we are certainly getting towards the business end of the season, and though Sherwood’s team might have to go for broke a little if they are to close the gap on the sides above them, ultimately we think the Blues will have the tactical nous and experience to get another win under their belts as they get ever-closer to another Premier League crown.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 2-1

Fulham host Chelsea in a west London derby that both sides will be desperate to win for very different reasons. The Cottagers are adrift at the bottom of the table whilst the Blues are clear at the top and whilst there is a huge 39 points between the teams, this game could be a lot closer than the table suggests.

Fulham are on their third manager of the campaign, with former Bayern Munich boss and German international Felix Magath now at the helm following Martin Jol and Rene Meulensteen. Magath is well known for being a tough disciplinarian who places a lot of emphasis on fitness and organisation, earning him the nickname “Saddam” and leading one former player to call him the “last dictator in Europe”.

If the players buy in to his methods he could be just what Fulham need but if they don’t he could be a total disaster. In his last job he led Wolfsburg to survival from a difficult position and that is exactly what is needed here with Fulham four points away from West Brom in 17th. Magath began life at Fulham with a 1-1 draw at the Baggies but could have won the game as his side led until the 86th minute. Fulham would have been fortunate to get the win but there were signs, even after just a few days in charge, that the German was reshaping the side into a much more workmanlike and disciplined outfit and that could make them hard for the Pensioners to breakdown.

Of course, unpicking the defences of sides set out to defend against them – or play 19th century football if you prefer Jose’s vernacular – has been a problem for Chelsea all season. They lack a top notch striker and, despite their wealth of creative talents in the attacking midfield areas, they do not create enough clear cut chances. With the home side certain to defend in numbers and work exceptionally hard off the ball there is every danger that Jose Mourinho’s men could slip up here, giving Arsenal a chance to return to the top of the Premier League.

The visitors will not have been helped by the fact that they had a game away at Galatasaray on Wednesday either. It was a tough match and the 1-1 draw again demonstrated Chelsea’s occasional lack of cutting edge. Mourinho has no new injury concerns from the game though and David Luiz remains the only doubt, whilst the Cottagers are in a similar position in terms of their squad.

Back in September Chelsea won 2-0 at the Bridge whilst they won the corresponding fixture last season 3-0. The four games before that, two each at either ground, ended in 1-1 or 0-0 draws and we fancy this one will be similarly close, or perhaps settled by a single goal. It really is a tough one to call but spring is in the air and we’re feeling optimistic so 1-0 to the Blues it is!

LCN Verdict: 1-0 to Chelsea

Chelsea edged to a 1-0 victory over Everton at the weekend to stay in pole position in the race for the Premier League title, but it will be the Champions League that is their main priority in midweek when they travel to Turkey to play Galatasaray. The Istanbul-based side are managed by former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini and they have a striker who might just be recognised by the Blues faithful… a certain Didier Drogba. It promises to be quite an occasion!

Chelsea progressed to the knockout stage of Europe’s premier club competition by topping Group E ahead of Schalke, Basel and Steaua Bucharest, but they didn’t have it all their own way, losing home and away to Swiss side Basel. Having said that, Jose Mourinho’s men conceded only three goals from their six group matches (the joint best defensive record of all the teams in the competition, alongside Atletico Madrid and – perhaps surprisingly – Manchester United); and having won their other four matches they were worthy of their finishing position at the top of the group.

Mancini’s Galatasaray, meanwhile, did well to progress to the Round of 16 given they were drawn in a very tough group along with Real Madrid and Juventus (and Copenhagen, but they are hardly in the same class as the other two). Things started badly for the Turks as they were hammered 6-1 at home by Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo showing his supreme ability with a fine hat-trick. Galatasaray got into their rhythm soon after, though, with a well-deserved 2-2 draw in Turin against Juve and a home win over Copenhagen. Away defeats to the Danes and Real followed before the all-important home win for Mancini’s men against Juve in their final group game, allowing them to sneak through, just a point ahead of the Serie A leaders.

Chelsea are massive favourites with the bookies to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, and over two legs we would agree they should have more than enough to triumph. But we feel they won’t have things all their own way in Istanbul, the atmosphere and perhaps an air of superiority conspiring to lessen Chelsea’s effectiveness. Drogba will be more than eager to score against his former employers and given the Blues have never really replaced the burly striker in terms of attacking potency, there is always a chance the home side could nick this one 1-0.

Having said that, Mourinho has been around the European block more than a few times and he will know exactly what to expect. We fancy he’ll set up in such as way as to push hard for the away goal while also attempting to keep things relatively tight. With John Terry fit again, he and Gary Cahill are sure to relish the challenge of nullifying Drogba’s threat and it will almost certainly be a relatively low-scoring game.

Overall we suspect both managers would be reasonably happy with a draw and if the Blues get the away goal in the process they’ll be in the driving seat for the return leg at the bridge. So our prediction is for the match to end 1-1 to leave the tie alive but Chelsea as the favourites to progress.

LCN Verdict: Galatasaray 1-1 Chelsea

Chelsea are top of the Premier League and whilst they were knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend they are still competing on two fronts and in with a great chance of success in the league or Champions League. However, with Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool maintaining a relentless pace just behind them they simply have to keep winning if they are to end the season as a prize-winning thoroughbred rather than a show pony or also ran. So, on to the runners and riders here…

Everton, with Roberto Martinez in the saddle… okay, we’ll stop the horse metaphors now, but Jose started it and if it’s good enough for the Special One, well, it’s good enough for us here at LCN! Anyway, Everton, managed by the likeable Martinez, are having a solid season and progressed to the FA Cup quarters at the weekend with a 3-1 home win over Swansea. They weren’t at their best though, and having lost two of their last three in the league – away at Spurs and Liverpool – they will be keen to bounce back and get three more points in the league.

Of course, the Pensioners too will be keen to get a win under their belts after the 2-0 FA Cup defeat at City and the 1-1 draw at West Brom in the league prior to that. Moreover, Mourinho and co will want some revenge after their 1-0 loss at Goodison Park back in September when Steven Naismith’s goal was enough to see the Toffees take the spoils. Chelsea were a tad unlucky that day, dominating possession and having twice as many shots as their opponents (though, symptomatic of how their season has developed, the same number on target – just five from 22) but at this stage of the campaign hard luck stories don’t matter, only points.

In terms of points these sides have been very evenly matched and, in fact, in the last 14 league games between them the record is even, with four wins each and six draws. Almost all of those wins have been by a single goal and so we can be relatively confident this game will be another close affair. The recent head to head record is littered with 0-0s and 1-1s and given Chelsea have the best defence in the top flight and Everton the division’s third best, this one seems unlikely to be a goalfest.

Romelu Lukaku, the best striker that the home side don’t have at their disposal after loaning him out to the Toffees, may be fit for Everton but will not be allowed to play against his parent club. This means that neither side will have a top notch striker, in form, confident and likely to register. Both offer a good threat from midfield though and it is Chelsea’s superiority here and, of course, home advantage, that lead us to believe they will just about do enough to get the result. Another clean sheet for Petr Cech and co and perfect revenge for the reverse fixture are the order of the day here.

LCN Verdict: Chelsea to win 1-0

One of two huge FA Cup ties in the fifth round, Chelsea’s visit to Man City, is Saturday’s biggest game and is live on ITV1 for UK viewers. It’s sure to be an enthralling match and with City still smarting from their recent home defeat in the Premier League they are certain to be out for revenge. Read on for our preview and analysis of this exciting fixture.

The teams played each other on the 3rd February and amid predictions that Jose Mourinho would “park the bus” and play for a draw against a then seemingly unstoppable City, the Pensioners played superbly and got the win. It was 1-0 but though the home side had the lion’s share of possession, Mourinho’s men thrice hit the woodwork and executed their counter attacking plan superbly.

Since then the Citizens have stumbled, drawing 0-0 at Norwich and dropping further off the title pace when their game with Sunderland was postponed on Wednesday due to the bad weather. To some extent both teams will be glad to put the pressure of the league behind them here and we could see an open, attacking game, as indeed we did at the start of the month.

City are clearly missing Sergio Aguero and, good as Edin Dzeko and Alvaro Negredo are, it is the Argentine who brings real X factor to the squad. However, they are unlikely to stutter for long and one has to consider their overall home record when assessing this game. The loss to Chelsea was their first home defeat of the campaign and only their fifth since the 2009-2010 campaign in the league. They are formidable at the Etihad and just because Chelsea have managed to win their once (as well as winning the league clash at the Bridge earlier in the season) it does not mean it will be easy second time round.

Though Mourinho holds a very good record against City’s Chilean boss Manuel Pellegrini from their days in Spain, the wily former Malaga boss will have learned from the most recent contest and his tactics are sure to be subtly different this time around. Of course, that could lead to a more muted affair, with neither side keen to overexpose themselves but we think with the shackles of the Premier League off, as the game wears on it is certain to come to life.

There is just too much quality on show for goals not to be scored and once either side breaks the deadlock the other will be forced into action. Overall we think that home advantage will be crucial, although with City facing Barcelona shortly after this game (the Blues’ Champions League campaign does not resume until the 26th) Pellegrini may well be tempted to rest key players. However, City’s second string managed to win at Bayern Munich and so must not be underestimated and, sadly, we think Chelsea’s FA Cup campaign ends here.

LCN Verdict: Manchester City 2 – 1 Chelsea