WEST BROMWICH ALBION v CHELSEA
Barclays Premier League
Tuesday 11th February 2014, 8pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

The Hawthorns' clash will be the 131st league and cup meeting between Albion and Chelsea. The Blues currently lead the way in the victory stakes with 54 wins to the Baggies' 42.

The two clubs have met once before on this date - in 1953, when Chelsea ran out 4-0 winners in a FA Cup 4th round 3rd replay played at Highbury, Arsenal FC.

The Baggies' last game on this date came just last year when goals from Gareth McAuley and Romelu Lukaku gave Albion a shock 2-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield.

Chelsea's last game on February 11 took place in 2012, the Blues suffering a 2-0 defeat against Everton at Goodison Park.

Albion have won just one of their last 16 league and cup games.

Chelsea are currently 10 games unbeaten in the Premier League.

Albion's last six games:  Crystal Palace (A) 1-3; Liverpool (H) 1-1; Aston Villa (A) 3-4; Everton (H) 1-1; Southampton (A) 0-1; Crystal Palace (H, FAC) 0-2

Chelsea's last six games: Newcastle United (H) 3-0; Manchester City (A) 1-0; West Ham United (H) 0-0; Stoke City (H, FAC) 1-0; Manchester United (H) 3-1; Hull City (A) 2-0

TEAM NEWS

Albion

Defender Billy Jones (knee) is Pepe Mel’s latest injury worry ahead of the game with the Premier League leaders. The Baggies are already definitely without Nicolas Anelka (knee), Jonas Olsson (hamstring) and Stephane Sessegnon (groin).

Recent signing Thievy Bifouma could start after he made a goalscoring debut coming off the bench against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Squad from: Foster, Myhill, Reid, Popov, Ridgewell, Lugano, McAuley, Dawson, Jones, Yacob, Morrison, Sinclair, Brunt, Dorrans, Amalfitano, Mulumbu, Gera, Anichebe, Vydra, Berahino, Bifouma.

Chelsea

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has confirmed captain John Terry will again be absent with the minor niggle that saw him miss the win over Newcastle at the weekend.

Spanish striker Fernando Torres returns to the squad after three weeks out.

Squad from: Cech, Schwarzer, Ivanovic, Luiz, Chaill, Cole, Azpilicueta, Kalas, Ramires, Lampard, Mikel, Matic, Oscar, Schurrle, Salah, Hazard, Ba, Willian, Eto'o, Torres.

QUOTES

Baggies' boss Pepe Mel:

“Jose Mourinho is a big coach. But it is possible to win. Last season when he was coach of Real Madrid and I was coach of Real Betis, Betis won 1-0. Mourinho is a good coach, a good manager and a good person, In Spain our relationship was good, no problem.

“Yesterday Fulham played a good match to get a 2-2 draw at Manchester United. It is important to take note of this because tomorrow why can’t West Brom win?"

www.wba.co.uk

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho:

“I know him from Spain. When I arrived there he was with Real Betis in the second division. He was a champion and the next year he came to the first division and he did very well. Real Madrid lost to them in one game.

“He's a coach that likes to play football, to play well, to pass the ball and keep possession of the ball. I don't know if this is the way he wants to work with West Brom but he is a good coach and a good guy.”

www.chelseafc.com

MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 6/1, Chelsea Win: 1/2, Draw: 3/1.

First Goalscorer

Albion: Anichebe 9/1, Berahino 9/1, Vydra 11/, Thievy 12/1, Brunt 12/1, Sinclair 14/1, Gera 16/1, Morrison 16/1, Dorrans 16/1, Amalfitano 20/1, Mulumbu 25/1, McAuley 25/1, Dawson 25/1, Lugano 33/1, Yacob 33/1.

Chelsea: Eto'o 7/2, Torres 4/1, Ba 5/1, Hazard 6/1, Oscar 7/1, Lampard 7/1, Salah 15/2, Schurrle 15/2, Willian 9/1, Ramires 12/1, Matic 16/1, Luiz 20/1, Ivanovic 20/1, Cahill 25/1, Obi Mikel 33/1.

REFEREE

Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)

Taylor has officiated one Albion game so far this season - the 1-1 draw away at Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day.

He refereed just one Albion game last season - the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa at Villa Park in September.

Of the ten Albion games Taylor has officiated, the Baggies have lost just one - a 1-0 defeat at Wigan Athletic in November 2010.

The Cheshire official has taken charge of two Chelsea games this season - the 4-1 win over Cardiff City at Stamford Bridge in October and the 2-1 defeat at Sunderland in the Capital One Cup in December.

Taylor has issued 66 yellow cards and two reds in the 20 games he has officiated so far this season.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are on general sale with availability in all stands except the Smethwick End.

WEATHER FORECAST

Light snow showers, 1°C

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 2-1 Chelsea
Barclays Premier League
Saturday 17 November 2012, 3:00pm

Albion: Myhill; Jones, Tamas, Olsson, Ridgewell; Yacob, Mulumbu; Odemwingie, Morrison (Dorrans 70), Gera (Brunt 70); Long (Rosenberg 80). Subs not used: L Daniels (gk), Popov, Reid, Fortune.

Goalscorers: Long 10, Odemwingie 50

Chelsea: Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Luiz, Bertrand; Mikel (Ramires 81), Romeu (Oscar 62); Sturridge, Hazard, Moses; Torres (Mata 62). Subs not used: Turnbull (gk), Ivanovic, Cole, Marin.

Goalscorer: Hazard 39

Attendance: 25,933

Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)

West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie made it a miserable return to the Hawthorns for Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo with a second-half winner to stun the Champions League holders. The Nigerian international headed home a cross from Shane Long whose opening goal had been cancelled out by Eden Hazard. It condemned Di Matteo, who spent two years as Albion boss, and his side to a first away Barclays Premier League defeat of the campaign. But his former club, managed by ex-Chelsea number two Steve Clarke, are dreaming of Europe after registering a sixth win in seven home games.

The Blues dominated for long periods territorially with Victor Moses and Daniel Sturridge causing problems. But they found keeper Boaz Myhill, who was deputising for the injured Ben Foster, in inspired form with several crucial saves. Chelsea clearly missed the physical presence at the back of injured skipper John Terry who will be side-lined for three weeks with a knee injury. Long and Odemwingie fully capitalised on the absence of the former England defender as they punished some slack defending. Long appeared on a one-man mission to honour his grandmother who died yesterday with another superb performance. The Republic of Ireland international revealed a T-shirt which said 'RIP Nan' after scoring the opening goal.

Chelsea dominated possession in the early stages and Ryan Bertrand came close to putting them ahead after eight minutes. Moses made a powerful run to the byline and squared the ball back across the danger area to Bertrand whose low left-footed drive was cleared off the line by Liam Ridgewell. But 60 seconds later the Baggies took the lead via their first worthwhile attack. Zoltan Gera played the ball back to James Morrison whose floated cross picked out Long who got in behind David Luiz to head home from close range. It was the Republic of Ireland international's sixth goal of the campaign. Chelsea tried to retaliate and John Obi Mikel's low 30-yard drive was only just off target with Myhill scrambling across his line. Myhill then got his body behind a swerving first time attempt from Sturridge. Albion were at their most threatening on the counter-attack and Long, under pressure from Gary Cahill, had a shot saved by Petr Cech after attacking a cross from Billy Jones. Long was then just off target with a curling drive after he had shaken off the challenge of Cahill. But after 38 minutes Hazard levelled for the Blues with his fourth goal of the season. He attacked Cesar Azpilicueta's deep cross and was able to squeeze the ball past Myhill at the far post with a powerful header. Chelsea continued to dominate possession and Moses fired over after being teed up by Cahill.

But Odemwingie restored Albion's lead five minutes into the second half. This time Long was the creator with a cross to the near post and the Nigerian international got in front of Bertrand to glance his header past Cech for his fourth goal of the campaign. Di Matteo made a double change with the ineffective Fernando Torres and Oriol Romeu making way for Juan Mata and Oscar respectively. Myhill made a fine save to turn aside Sturridge's close range flick after Mata's ball had opened up the West Brom defence. He then went down to cling on to Hazard's deflected shot as Chelsea delivered wave after wave of attacks. Sturridge should have made it 2-2 with three minutes left but screwed his shot across the face of goal.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

French striker Nicolas Anelka had a successful four year stint at Stamford Bridge between 2008 and 2012.

Scott Sinclair joined Chelsea from Bristol Rovers in 2005 at the age of 16. He spent four years in West London but made just a handful of appearances for the Blues. In 2012, after a number of loan spells away from the club, he joined Swansea City in a permanent £500,000 deal.

Academy starlet Isaiah Brown made his debut for Albion on 4 May 2013 against Wigan Athletic at The Hawthorns, becoming the second-youngest player in Premier League history at the age of 16 years and 117 days. He joined Chelsea in a controversial move in July 2013.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Neil Clement, Shaun Cummings, Warren Cummings, Alan Dickens, Tony Godden, Derek Kevan, Romelu Lukaku, Paddy Mulligan, Frank Nouble, Fred Richardson, Graham Roberts, Fred Rouse, Frank Sinclair, David Speedie, Kenny Swain and Mickey Thomas.
  
Former Baggies’ boss Steve Clarke spent 11 years as a player with Chelsea between 1987-98, making 421 appearances. He also spent four years coaching the Blues' first-team; Roberto Di Matteo managed both clubs having previously had a lengthy spell as a Chelsea player, whilst another former Blues' player Eddie Newton, was Di Matteo's assistant at both The Hawthorns and Stamford Bridge; Former Albion manager Jack Smith was a player for Chelsea prior to the Second World War; World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst had a short spell as a player at The Hawthorns before later managing the London club; Ex-Albion player and manager Don Howe had a spell as Chelsea coach; Former Baggies' goalkeeper Bob Ward would later act as Chelsea physio; Former sprint champion Ade Mafe has acted as fitness coach for both clubs.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS CHELSEA