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Stoke logo
Premier League
Nov 7, 2015 at 5.30pm UK
 
Chelsea logo

1-0

FT(HT: 0-0)

Player Ratings: Stoke City 1-0 Chelsea

Sports Mole looks back at how the players fared at the Britannia as Stoke City edge out Chelsea 1-0, courtesy of Marko Arnautovic's winner.

Marko Arnautovic was the hero as Stoke City beat Chelsea 1-0 at the Britannia Stadium to pile the misery on Blues boss Jose Mourinho, who served out a one-match stadium ban.

Ramires and Diego Costa missed good first-half chances as the hosts' goalkeeper Jack Butland reproduced the kind of heroics which saw him impress at Newcastle United last weekend.

The Austria international then struck on 54 minutes as the Potters' defence kept the visitors out to seal Stoke's fourth league victory of the campaign - and Chelsea's seventh defeat.

Here, Sports Mole sorts the heroes from the villains.

Stoke City's Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic (L) shoots to score the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Stoke City and Chelsea at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, central England on November 7, 2015.© Getty Images



STOKE CITY

Goal

Jack Butland: Reproduced his heroics from St James' Park last weekend with a number of top-drawer saves in the first half. (6/10)

Defence

Glen Johnson: Allowed Hazard far too much space at times, but had Stoke's best and only real chance of the opening half when Begovic kept him out. However, he did excellently for Stoke's opener. (6/10)

Ryan Shawcross: Perhaps a bit fortunate not to earn a red card after going out of his way to clatter Costa off the ball, but legitimately coped well with the Spain striker too. (7/10)

Philipp Wollscheid: Like Shawcross, expertly dealt with the physical menace that is Costa. (6/10)

Erik Pieters: Suffered a suspected broken nose in the first half, but played on and yielded the rewards for his courage with an excellent overall display. (7/10)

Midfield

Xherdan Shaqiri: The Potters' best player on the night as the Swiss oozed class in both halves and, crucially, did not shirk away from a physical battle after giving Rahman a torrid time. (7/10)

Glenn Whelan: Booked in the first half and did well to walk the disciplinary tightrope after the break. (6/10)

Charlie Adam: Led one or two promising Stoke attacks but his final ball, and final touch, let him down more often than not. An intimidating presence in midfield, though. (5/10)

Bojan: The diminutive Spaniard was almost non-existent in a first half which passed him by completely, but looked a bit better after the break. Subbed on 70 minutes. (5/10)

Marko Arnautovic: More or less a passenger in the first half as Azpilicueta silenced him, but he lost his Spanish marker early in the second period when his scissor kick opened the scoring. (7/10)

Attack

Jon Walters: Looked slightly isolated in both halves and struggled to make the most of Shaqiri's brilliant deliveries from the right. Will have better games this season. (3/10)

Substitutes

Ibrahim Afellay: Regularly involved and kept the ball well during his 11-minute cameo. (6/10)

Mame Biram Diouf: Proved a valuable outlet for Stoke up front and was clever in possession. (6/10)



CHELSEA

Goal

Asmir Begovic: Brilliantly kept out Johnson in the first half and was not overly tested in the second period. Overall a fruitful individual performance for Begovic, who spent five years at Stoke. (6/10)

Defence

Cesar Azpilicueta: Expertly shacked the commanding presence of Arnautovic in the first half, but nowhere to be seen when the Austrian volleyed home the opener. Did little going forward. (5/10)

Kurt Zouma: Went to sleep at times in the first half but did very little wrong after the break. (5/10)

John Terry: Had very little to do in truth, but might have got closer to Shaqiri in the move which led to Stoke's winner. (5/10)

Baba Rahman: Struggled with the strength and pace of Shaqiri a lot as the Blues' summer signing continues to get to grips with English football. He was also partially culpable for Stoke's opener after Johnson got the run on him. (3/10)

Midfield

Ramires: Energetic as ever and he forced Butland into a fine first-half save, but did little after the break. He is no Fabregas in the playmaking stakes. (5/10)

Nemanja Matic: Good first half, but the big Serbian could not get as tight to Bojan early on in the second half, with the amount of space in midfield ultimately leading to the winner. (5/10)

Eden Hazard: Looked much better than he had been on recent outings but the Belgian's final ball left a little to be desired at times. Did not looked bothered in the second period. (5/10)

Willian: Arguably Chelsea's most consistent performer this season, but he looked sluggish at times, though he was always a threat from dead-ball positions. (5/10)

Pedro: Recalled into the side following a brief absence with injury, and the ex-Barcelona winger looked a little rusty in both halves - despite hitting the post on 67 minutes. Subbed shortly after. (4/10)

Attack

Diego Costa: Missed a good first-half opportunity when Butland kept him out, and looked a little off the pace at times. (4/10)

Substitutes

Oscar: Should have done better with a second-half chance and had very little impact overall. (4/10)

Loic Remy: Could, and should, have won a stoppage-time penalty but the honest Frenchman hurdled Butland instead of going to ground. He was too nice. (4/10)

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Stoke City's Welsh manager Mark Hughes arrives on the pitch for the second half of the English League Cup fourth round football match between Stoke City and Chelsea at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, central England on October 27, 2015.
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