Saints face perhaps their toughest game of the season as they travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea.

Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is the hardest fixture of the season on paper for all of the other 19 Premier League clubs and Saints will be no exception as they strive to be te first side to win there in the League this season.

However the talk is all about what has been happening on the Chelsea periphery this week rather then the actual game itself, midweek saw Chelsea exit the Champions League in controversial circumstances with PSG down to 10 men and securing the 2-2 draw that saw them trough on goal difference.

But most of the talk was about the way José Mourinho and his players conducted themselves on the pitch against the French side and how they pressurise officials and try to influence their decisions.

Yesterday also affected Chelsea, their only real rival for the title as been Manchester City who were surprisingly beaten at Burnley, meaning that should the Blues beat Saints they would go 8 points clear at the top with a game in hand.

So will all these events impact on the game at Stamford Bridge this afternoon and will it benefit Saints or will it stir Chelsea on to show that the midweek exit from the Champions League was a blip on the season and not the start of a wobble.

From a Saints point of view although this is undoubtably the toughest game of the season it is also one that suits them better than travelling to West Brom for instance.

Chelsea will come at Saints and tis will suit us better than in recent games were we have struggled to real down sides who get 9 men behind the ball and go on the break.

However it cannot be denied that they have the firepower to break us down more than any other club and that is what we have to overcome, we need to stay strong and resilient and when we go at them on the break take our chances when they come.

Ronald Koeman has a full squad to choose from and it is probable that Toby Alderweireld will come into the side, but will Koeman opt for a back four or play three at the back and utilise the pace of Coyne and Bertrand ?

I think the Dutchman will pt to keep it tight and then try to catch them late on utilising the pace of Shane Long who has a great record of scoring against Chelsea.

Put your money on a penalty being awarded if only for the fact that the laws of average say that both sides are due to concede one, Saints are the only side in the Premier not to have a penalty awarded against them this season and Chelsea themselves have only one awarded against them.

Some of the pressure is off Saints tough after the game yesterday with both Stoke and West Ham getting beaten, meaning that no one behind us had made up ground on us although Swansea play tomorrow.

Saints can go to Stamford Bridge and play without fear, if they do so they may just find a Chelsea side who are under pressure themselves and affected by the events of the last week, will that pressure spur them on or offer us the chance to be the first side to win there ?

The answer is now only hours away.

Photo: Action Images

tiptop added 11:26 - Mar 15 Aswell as keeping them away from our goal its fair enough to say we will have to score to get a result. Pelle to start...or not?
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corkcitysaint added 11:32 - Mar 15 Great to have a game at last. Seems ages since we played. Hopefully Toby is fit and we play. We need him today. Am not expecting much for us out of the is game and would be delighted with a point. I think RK might actually go for it today instead of a "park the bus" display. Either way, I just hope we play with confidence and belief. COYR!!
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