Chelsea v Stoke City: A Step-By-Step Review of the Premier League Encounter

This is the debut edition of the Premier League Review, where I will be recapping any of the 10 matches each weekend. Please note that these are live notes. Here we go.

The Chelsea and Stoke players make their way out of the tunnel to lively reception from from the home and away fans at Stamford Bridge. Roberto Di Matteo, taking charge of his first Premier League match as interim Chelsea manager, shakes hands with his opposite number, Stoke boss Tony Pulis.

To team news: Chelsea have made four changes to the side that lost to West Brom last week, Michel Essien, Juan Mata, David Luiz and Daniel Sturridge make way for Raul Meireles, John Terry, Salomon Kalou and John Obi Mikel.

Stoke city make three changes, too, from the side that won against Norwich last weekend; with Glenn Whelan, Matt Etherington and Peter Crouch are dropped in favour of Salif  Diao, Kenwyne Jones and Ricardo Fuller.

We are ready for action and referee Andre Marriner  blows his whistle and gets us underway.

1' Chelsea controlling possession. This is, of course, a game they must win if they are to keep hopes of a top-four finish alive.

2' The first real goal threat is Ryan Shawcross' awkward backward header that nearly beats  Asmir Begovic but goes narrowly wide. So close to an embarrassing own goal.

3' Branislav Ivanovic gets a free header from close range but heads over the bar.

5' Chelsea still dominant in possession up to this point. Stoke players have hardly had a touch of the ball, they are chasing shadows, literally.

7' Stoke have a long throw, and with Rory Delap missing, his deputy long-distance thrower Ryan Shotton takes the throw. Petr Cech punches it away and the ball ultimately falls to Ryan Showcross who attempts an ambitious long-range effort which goes closer to the corner flag than Cech's goal.

9' Gary Cahill with a good effort on goal from just outside the penalty area. Asmir Begovic parries it away for a corner.

13' Despite enjoying the lion's share of possession, Chelsea are not showing any signs of getting a goal. There is a clear lack of width in their attacking play.

14' Ramires makes an impressive run but is illegally stopped by Salif Diao. The Senegalese is yellow-carded.

15' A Salomon Kalou cross from the left hand side into the penalty area. Ramires is well positioned but fails to make any contact with the ball. The Brazilian isn't known for his heading ability and he proves why.

18' Mikel shown a yellow card by referee Andre Marriner for pulling Jon Walters. The replay suggest the referee was a bit harsh on that one.

21' Branislav Ivanovic is brought down by Ricardo Fuller just as the Serbian was cutting into the Stoke box. The resulting free-kick, taken by Frank Lampard, is easily cleared from the danger-area.

24' Ricardo Fuller stamps on Ivanovic and is red-carded for his troubles. Utterly stupid on the Jamaican's part. A game changer? Perhaps.

28' Just wondering if Roberto Di Matteo should be thinking of bringing on Fernando Torres as the Chelsea attack seems to be struggling to trouble the Stoke defence. But with the Spaniard's goal-shy status, it is understandable if the Chelsea interim boss doesn't hurry to bring him on, after all.

31' Terry clips the bar with a header from a Lampard corner.

32' Fernando Torres is warming up. Not sure how long we'll have to wait to see the striker join the action.

36' Branislav Ivanovic, again, cuts into the Stoke penalty area and he exchanges passes with Lampard. The England international's return pass is high and Ivanovic heads it bit and is saved by Begovic. Marc Wilson, who is occupying the left-back position for Stoke has been struggling so far in his attempts to stop Ivanovic's attacking threat down the flank.

37' Raul Meireles, who has been largely ineffective, is rightly substituted. In his place comes Juan Mata.

38' Ramires is again fouled as he made his trademark runs through the midfield. Marc Wilson is the offender this time and is deservedly shown a yellow card.

40' The impressive Ivanovic hits the bar with a vicious shot after the ball fell to his path after a poor clearance by Shawcross.

45' We are informed there will be two minuted of added-on time.

Halftime

Disappointment on the face of Roberto Di Matteo, who probably expected more from his players, bearing in mind that they have played over 20 minutes with a one-man advantage.

46' We are back for the second half. Ivanovic is off and David Luiz comes on. I am not sure about the motive behind the change as the Serbian was very impressive in the first half. Not sure, either, if Luiz will play at right-back or in a different position.

47' We have the answer. It looks like it was a straight swap as Luiz is playing on the right-back berth.

49' Lampard tests Begovic with a 25-yard effort. Not the most confident of saves from the Stoke goalie as he saves and then fumbles.

50' Salif Diao and Marc Wilson are off. Wilson Palacios and Mathew Upson are sent on.

53' Chelsea still struggling to make their extra man advantage count.

55' Stoke have their fist corner that amounts to nothing in the end.

60' John Terry goes close with a fantastic 30-yard strike. On a second look, though, it looks as if Begovic had it covered. Jones is substituted and in his place comes Cameron Jerome. A tactical change by Tony Pulis.

66' Didier Drogba with a fantastic free-kick. Begovic tips it over the bar. Great save.

67' Daniel Sturridge is on in the place of Mikel Obi. With Chelsea having made three substitutions, Fernando Torres will have to wait for his opportunity in the next game.

68' Breakthrough, finally. Drogba scores his 100th Premier League goal. Brilliant passing by Mata, classy finishing by Drogba. Di Matteo and the entire Chelsea coaching staff celebrate.

69' Another long distance effort by Lampard and again, Begovic is equal to the task.

76' Chelsea now on the back foot. 10-man Stoke pressing for the equaliser.

79' Andy Wilkinson attempts an audacious 50-yard effort.Petr Cech was off his line but his blushes are spared as Wilkinson's shot goes narrowly wide.

82' Cameron Jerome breaks through with only Gary Cahill and Cech to beat. Instead, the striker hurries his shot from the edge of the box and it goes off-target.

85' A bit of trickery and flare from Sturridge as he beats two Stoke players but his shot is tame and off-target.

87' Juan Mata with a long-range free-kick that hits the bar. Begovic was well beaten. Saved by the woodwork.

90' The fourth official's board is up, signaling three additional minutes.

90+1' Mata with a corner, the Blues' 14th of the game.

Full time

Roberto Di Matteo applauds his team's efforts. Not a vintage Chelsea performance but with three more points in the west Londoners' bag, nothing matters more.

Final score: Chelsea 1-0 Stoke.