Chelsea stumble towards Premier League title line

Chelsea 2 Stoke City 1: Nothing is certain in life except death and taxes, according to Benjamin Franklin, but if the American were alive today he might add Jose Mourinho’s third Premier League title to that list.

Chelsea are not there yet, having stuttered through 2015 with some indifferent form and results, and Arsenal’s remarkable run has suddenly put them into second place.

But it would take a tumble of Devon Loch proportions for the Blues to fail now, with a seven-point lead, a game in hand and just eight matches remaining, half of them against relegation contenders.