Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Stamfiord Bridge

What looked like a routine chase for possession between West Brom's Daniel Sturridge and Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta ends with a grimace from the striker and he is off inside three minutes.

Stuirridge's recent career has been a litany of injury problems and that is a desperate blow for him and West Brom.

If you are just joining us, here are tonight's teams but key is the fact Daniel Sturridge has already gone off injured, with Jay Rodriguez coming on.

Image source, .

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Salomon Rondon flashes a header wide. There was so much pace on the volleyed cross by Matt Phillips that Rondon only had to guide it.

Jonathan Pearce
BBC Radio 5 live commentator at Stamford Bridge

West Bromwich Albion have started this game really well. Chelsea look as if their morale levels are low and confidence is brittle.

What an odd start to this game.

Daniel Sturridge off injured, Jay Rodriguez on for him and the substitute nearly opens the scoring instantly. A ball drops to him 12 yards out and he drags it wide. He wants a penalty though as Cesc Fabregas lunged at him and caught him after the strike. Nothing doing...

Image source, Reuters

Daniel Sturridge will be going off. He sat down in the area. I'm not sure if it's a hamstring or what?

He was under pressure from Cesar Azpilicueta but there wasn't any major contact. What a blow for him personally and for West Brom.

Jay Rodriguez comes on.

Kieran Gibbs weaves a bit on his approach to the area - he's been watching some slalom at the Winter Olympics I think - and he gets a corner for his fine work.

Good start for the away side but oh no... Daniel Sturridge has a problem.

Chelsea get us rolling. West Brom attack the Chelsea end and hence will attack their own fans in the second period...

John Southall
BBC Radio 5 live football reporter at Stamford Bridge

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There’s an apprehensive atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. The home fans are not sure what to expect after the shambolic nature of the last two defeats, a month ago this would have been a home banker. Not any more.

It’s a big night for Daniel Sturridge on his return to Chelsea, he is surely key to any hope of West Brom staying up. West Brom are off to Spain after this game, a trip they hope will refresh the squad and bond them together, well they could do with something here tonight to take with them.

One stat to leave you with - Alan Pardew has won twice here with different clubs, no manager in Premier League history has done it with three sides.

Could this be West Brom’s night ?

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Olivier Giroud puts his head in his hands and has a private moment of focus. I'm not sure if it's prayer or shutting himself off from everything around him. Maybe it's making a mental note that he needs a new can of hairspray tomorrow...

Here we go...

This is a new one on me. The players come out, exchange handshakes and then West Brom are taken to the side of the pitch and some cones to do more sprint drills.

One from the Alan Pardew coaching book that one.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea's regular man with the microphone is trying to whip up the atmosphere inside Stamford Bridge but he's got a bit of a job on his hands.

It's all very flat before the kick-off, a reflection of the mood at Chelsea following recent struggles,

Antonio Conte will hope it is nothing a good win against West Brom will not put right.

"COME ON THEN BOYYSSSS".

That's what Ben Foster turned to scream at his troops when they got the nod to walk out.

Olivier Giroud looks like he has his game face on. His goatee is impeccable, his quiff unmoved. A picture of a man.

Image source, Rex Features

Blur hit Parklife plays out at Stamford Bridge as Jonny Evans and Cesar Azpilicueta lead the teams into the tunnel.

"I feed the pigeons, I sometimes feed the sparrows too,it gives me a sense of enormous wellbeing."

The mascots who line up next to the players will be lost to that wonderful piece of music. Shame.

Chris Sutton
Ex-Chelsea striker on BBC Radio 5 live

So much depends on Daniel Sturridge. He is such a talent and on his day is unplayable.

Listen to Chris on 5 live now. Click play at the top of this page.

Duncan Watmore
Sunderland forward on BBC Radio 5 live

The risk at West Brom with bringing in a new manager is they have a different style of play. I've had many Sunderland managers. You have to be very quick to adapt to your current manager.

Image source, Getty Images

As we near kick-off, it's worth reflecting on the fact this is West Brom's eighth-straight season in the Premier League, they've settled in and become part of the very expensive furniture for sure.

But you can't get away from the fact that surely now it's over. That club crest will no longer belong in the Premier League sticker album.

They have 20 points, so if we assume they will need maybe 38 to stay up, that means they'll need six wins from their last 11 games.

Such a run seems unthinkable.

Do you believe Baggies fans? If so, tweet me on #bbcfootball with why belief still runs through your veins.

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

The Blues had a bad defeat at Watford last Monday, which means people are talking about them being in crisis but I think that is a bit of an exaggeration, and I would certainly back them to win this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.

Frank Lampard is in the crowd tonight. He's wearing a smart overcoat and looks every bit the statesman. He'd still do a job in that midfield surely?

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte's programme notes are short and sweet tonight. Simple message: "We must beat West Bromwich Albion."

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