Saturday 7 November 2015 22:06, UK
Jose Mourinho might have been banned from the Britannia - but the visiting Chelsea fans made sure his presence was felt.
Mourinho was serving a one-match stadium suspension imposed by the FA for his behaviour towards match officials in last month's defeat to West Ham and was subsequently unable to enter Stoke's stadium.
His absence did nothing to halt Chelsea's miserable run as a lone Marko Arnautovic strike condemned the champions to a seventh defeat in 12 games.
But Blues supporters chanted Mourinho's name during the Saturday Night Football clash, as well as donning masks and holding aloft cardboard cut-outs of the manager.
Chelsea captain John Terry had said his team-mates were well prepared for their Premier League clash, despite Mourinho's ban.
"We're prepared," Terry told Sky Sports. "The manager has done his work at the hotel and training ground yesterday and today and so we're prepared. The players know what they've got to do on the field.
"He [Mourinho] has told us to concentrate on the game. From the players perspective we'll be concentrating fully on the game.
"I think there is more responsibility on the players' shoulders. I stressed during the week it's on our shoulders and, more importantly, the manager has done his work so now it's down to the players to deliver that on the field.
"We're coming off the back of a win which has been a few weeks away so, with that in mind, the confidence is a little better than it was, and hopefully that can serve us well today."
Mourinho was handed his punishment, which included a £40,000 fine, after admitting a misconduct charge over his language and behaviour at West Ham a fortnight ago.
In his absence, Chelsea did not send a representative to speak at the post-match press conference at the Britannia. It is the second time in three games that no member of the coaching staff has spoken to written media after Mourinho shunned duties after the loss at West Ham a fortnight ago.
