Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou make their first league starts of the season at the Britannia Stadium.

Both played from the start at Portsmouth in the Carling Cup on Wednesday and Kalou sealed his second goal in four days after coming off the bench to equalise at Manchester United six days ago.

Nicolas Anelka is the man to make way for Drogba, as at Fratton Park, though he is among the substitutes.

Elsewhere Michael Ballack continues in midfield after playing 70 minutes in midweek, as Deco looks likely to be out for a further three weeks.

Alex continues to deputise for Ricardo Carvalho in an otherwise settled back line, while Florent Malouda keeps his place on the left wing as Luiz Felipe Scolari's men look for a sixth straight league away win.

Chelsea are expected to line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech

17 José Bosingwa

33 Alex

26 John Terry (c)

3 Ashley Cole

12 John Mikel Obi

21 Salomon Kalou

13 Michael Ballack

8 Frank Lampard

15 Florent Malouda

11 Didier Drogba

Substitutes: 40 Hilario, 2 Branislav Ivanovic, 19 Paulo Ferreira, 18 Wayne Bridge, 35 Juliano Belletti, 16 Scott Sinclair, 39 Nicolas Anelka.

Stoke are expected to line-up in the following 4-4-2 formation, which could be adapted to 4-3-3.

29 Thomas Sorensen

2 Andy Griffin (c)

25 Abdoulaye Faye

5 Leon Cort

3 Danny Higginbotham

7 Liam Lawrence

4 Seyi Olofinjana

18 Salif Diao

9 Richard Cresswell

12 Dave Kitson

11 Mamady Sidibe

Subs: 1 Steve Simonsen, 6 Glenn Whelan, 8 Tom Soares, 10 Ricardo Fuller, 19 Amdy Faye, 23 Michael Tonge, 33 Ibrahima Sonko.

The referee is Martin Atkinson.