Chelsea just about hold-on to top spot

With Fernando Torres still struggling to justify the huge £50m investment made in him, you would still have thought the quality of players available to the Blues was going to be enough to see the Potters off on Match day 5 of the English Premiership.

Chelsea though huffed and puffed until deep into the second half to grab a winner from a very unlikely source as Ashley Cole scored his seventh goal in a Blues Shirt to give the league leaders a much needed result.

After events in midweek where Chelsea gave away a two goal lead to draw two all with Juventus, their start to the game could not have been more nervous.

Chances were few and far between until Walters struck the post from only six yards when it was easier to score than to miss. With Torres laboring upfront, Chelsea struggled to make any meaningful surge into the Potters 18 yard box as their bully of a defence led by Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth diligently and efficiently handled any Blues threat.

On the back of fantastic performances against Arsenal and Manchester City, Stoke looked to have done enough to gain a point until disaster struck for the Potters. For 85 minutes the champions of Europe were kept, in large part, at arm's length by Stoke, who arguably created the better chances.

Step up Ashley Cole and he could not have scored a more important goal than that. A bit of Barcelona-like short passing between as many Chelsea players led to the only goal of the game and all three points after a very difficult game.

The Blues remain at the top of the league after match day 5 on 13 points.

LINEUP, BOOKINGS (3) & SUBSTITUTIONS (6)
CHELSEA
• 01 CECH
• 02 IVANOVIC
• 03 COLE
• 04 DAVID LUIZ BOOKED
• 24 CAHILL
• 07 RAMIRES
• 11 OSCAR BOOKED
• 12 MIKEL (LAMPARD - 81' )
• 17 HAZARD (MOSES - 61' )
• 09 TORRES
• 10 MATA (TERRY - 88' )
SUBSTITUTES
• 22 TURNBULL
• 26 TERRY
• 28 AZPILICUETA
• 34 BERTRAND
• 06 ROMEU
• 08 LAMPARD
• 13 MOSES
STOKE CITY
• 01 BEGOVIC
• 02 CAMERON
• 04 HUTH
• 12 WILSON
• 17 SHAWCROSS
• 06 WHELAN
• 15 NZONZI
• 16 ADAM BOOKED (OWEN - 64' )
• 21 KIGHTLY (ETHERINGTON - 71' )
• 19 WALTERS
• 25 CROUCH (JONES - 75' )
SUBSTITUTES
• 29 SORENSEN
• 20 UPSON
• 30 SHOTTON
• 18 WHITEHEAD
• 26 ETHERINGTON
• 09 JONES
• 10 OWEN
REF: OLIVER
ATT: 41,112
OTHER RESULTS
LIVERPOOL 1-2 MANCHESTER UNITED
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1-0 NORWICH CITY
MANCHESTER CITY 1-1 ARSENAL
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2-1 QUEENS PARK RANGERS
SWANSEA CITY 0-3 EVERTON
CHELSEA 1-0 STOKE CITY
SOUTHAMPTON 4-1 ASTON VILLA
WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1-0 READING
WEST HAM UNITED 1-1 SUNDERLAND
WIGAN ATHLETIC 1-2 FULHAM