Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has called on the fans to give them a final title push as Manchester United piled the pressure back on the Blues with a 3-1 victory over Tottenham at Old Trafford.
The win put United back on top of the Barclays Premier League by two points but Chelsea will go back to the summit by a single point if they can overcome Stoke at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Chelsea's players have spent much of the week getting over their 2-1 reverse by Tottenham last weekend but they have the best home record in the top flight with only five points dropped from 17 games.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have won all three matches since the Manchester City reverse with 12 goals scored and two conceded and Drogba knows how important the home fans can be.

Defender Shawcross is back in Stoke's squad for their tough trip to Stamford Bridge.
He has been out since late February after being sent-off against Arsenal for the tackle which ended Aaron Ramsey's season, and then an ankle problem for himself.
Now he has just four games left to force his way into Fabio Capello's thinking, having been called up for the last England match.
The former Manchester United youngster is not even sure he will be in Pulis' starting line-up at Stamford Bridge, with the Potteries boss unsure of using the defender from the start in such a high-profile match.

Pulis says: "He has trained well all week and is certainly in contention, but I have not decided yet whether to put him straight into the side."

However, that reluctance does not affect Pulis' opinion of the player. He said: "Ryan is one of the best young players in the Premier League in his position, no-one will convince me otherwise.''

ESPN
This is a must-win match for Chelsea if they desire to regain top spot on the table.

John Terry's ability to organise the defence to deal with Delaps throws may be crucial. Unfortunately he's suspended. Alex and Ivanovic are just too quiet for matches like this one.

9 points out of 9 is the bare minimum we expect starting with Stoke. Abeg make una warn Ancelotti for me oh! I am already half-resigned to losing the league against the weakest competition we have ever faced for the title.

Solution to a shaky defense is a strong attack.
Chelsea simply have to outscore Stoke, thatz all.

draw all the way

I am a Man U fan but I dont have a doubt that Chelsick will unload on Stoke. Transferred aggression.

I don't care what happens here
Pool and Chelsea will end in score draw

i will be the happiest man if chelsea draws this match .

Digriz:

i will be the happiest man if chelsea draws this match .

its better you start consolling urself now 'cos we are getting maximum points.manure fans dream on,

You blues fans has more presure than us coz any slip wl be over for you guys.

tkb417:

I don't care what happens here
Pool and Chelsea will end in score draw

You are not tired of this crap yet.
I predict you will bang your head come next Sunday evening.

This is not the game to get a hard on over.

'POOL!!!!!

This is because I doubt we will be able to beat them the way we are at the moment.

Victory for the Blues cannot be compromised at this time. Not now, not at any point in the next three matches!

Chelsea!

cabali:

This is not the game to get a hard on over.

'POOL!!!!!  

This is because I doubt we will be able to beat them the way we are at the moment.

Cabali,

A few weeks we were not supposed to be where we are now.
A few weeks ago, some people would have bet their lives we will never beat ManU at OT.
And that assumption was all based on the form.
Yet we surpassed all expectation.


Nothing . . absolutely nothing stops us from beating Liverpool especially when we have to.
Liverpool don't want to wake knowing ManU have gone past their record 18 times of winning the prem.
Liverpool know if they win, ManU win 19.
I keep saying this but people don't believe this.

It's strange, but it's what's going down on the streets.
If the scouscers ever wanted Benitez to tinker with the team, it's next week.
Call me mad but the only matches we have to worry about are today's and Wigan at SB where we win the league.

Keep the faith bro. You've come this far.

Chelsea: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Ivanovic, Alex, Ashley Cole, Lampard, Ballack, Malouda, Kalou, Drogba, Anelka.
Subs: Hilario, Joe Cole, Zhirkov, Sturridge, Belletti, Hutchinson, Van Aanholt.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8642334.stm

Drogba starts again?
It's going to be another struggle.

Carlotti thinks the antidote to teams like Bolton and Stoke is to play Drogba.

The only good news is that we have Ashley and Malouda on the left.

The presence of Kalou on the teamsheet indicates we are gonna play imprecise football today. Its bad enough with Drogba misplacing passes. . . . add Deco's absence and Kalou's poor decision making to the mix, and this is not the type of footie that makes me comfortable against a team like Stoke. . . .

When will Drogba improve his first touch. . . . .It's so embarrassing!

hello every body, am in

I can only hope win scrap out the 3 points.
If we get a decent performance, it's a bonus.

Everything's wrong.  Kalou upfront, Malouda in midfield, Deco asbsent, Terry absent and Lampard on the right of midfield.

Just 3 mins into the game and he has already lost possession X2

Fuller just sodomised Ivanovic. . . . . .Are Chelsea players brain-damaged?

Keep looking for Drogba's misplaced passes, me i'm looking forward to his brace. . .

~Borat~:

Keep looking for Drogba's misplaced passes, me i'm looking forward to his brace. . .

What a shot from Lampard!!!

Just look at Kalou.
Dude never has a problem getting into interesting positions.
He never does anything when he does.

For a moment, I wished that was Drogba.

nateevs:

Just look at Kalou.
Dude never has a problem getting into interesting positions.
He never does anything when he does.

From a standing position, he's one of the best dribblers in this league.
Kalou can beat any defender with ease but he does nothing with it.

How did the ref miss the penalty?

Great effort by dd