Chelsea's only avenue of success is through the FA Cup this season, as they take on underdogs Port Vale at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues have flattered to deceive under Liam Rosenior, with the former Hull City manager yet to impress during his time at the club. Chelsea came into the international break with four straight defeats in all competitions, with their last result ending in a 3-0 loss to Everton, all but damaging their top-four prospects. Chelsea's run in this competition has seen them face lower-league opposition in the form of Wrexham, Charlton Athletic and Hull City. The Blues are yet to have a home tie in the FA Cup this season, yet they have largely rotated their squad for this competition and will be expected to do so once again.
Port Vale's run in this competition has seen them dispatch Premier League side Sunderland in the previous round, and the cup run has been a welcome distraction from their league form. The visitors are at the bottom of League One and have lost four of their previous six league games with defeats to Wycombe (4-0), Doncaster Rovers (1-0), Blackpool (3-2) & Bradford City (0-2). Port Vale have had concerns away from home in the defensive areas, conceding an alarming 1.63 goals per 90 on their travels.
This is likely where Port Vale's run in the competition ends. Chelsea have shown with the options at their disposal that they can deal with the challenges of teams in the division below and are expected to record a comfortable victory here.
Chelsea 3-0 Port Vale
