TONY PULIS today looked ahead to the start of a particularly tough Barclays Premier League run-in and stated: "All the pressure will be on Chelsea on Sunday".
Stoke City face the Premier League leaders in the live televised match at Stamford Bridge and could clearly have an influence upon the outcome of the title race.
As well as this weekend's game against Chelsea, they will make the trip to Manchester United to take on the reigning champions in the final match of the season.
"They don't come much tougher than this run-in, especially when you consider that we also have to play an Everton side going very well at the moment," said Pulis.
"What makes it very interesting though is that there is so much more at stake for the opposition in those matches, whereas we have very little to lose now.
"It is important to us that we finish the season with more points than last year because that will represent progress and it would be great to finish in 10th place in the Premier League table, but the pressure is really on our opponents to get results.
"We will go to Chelsea on Sunday and give it our best shot, so who knows what might happen because so much is resting on the game for them."
Pulis can point to the fact that his side have already had some close encounters over the past two seasons, most notably their last Premier League visit to Stamford Bridge in which they were leading through a Rory Delap goal until two minutes from the end when Juliano Belletti and Frank Lampard popped up with late goals to win it for the home side.
"We've had some good matches with Chelsea and we've been close to getting something from them on at least a couple of occasions. They beat us with two late goals at Stamford Bridge last year and they scored in the 94th minute here at the Britannia Stadium this season," said City's boss. "But that's what makes Chelsea such a tough proposition.
"They score more goals in the final 15 minutes of a game than most teams because they wear you down. It shows the quality and the fact that they never stop."
He added: "We've got a chance of causing an upset but we also know that, as with any side in the top five or six, if they get it right in the final third of the pitch, there is always the chance that you could end up getting your backside slapped."
Pulis confirmed that Ryan Shawcross was in contention for a return, while his only injury doubt was striker Mamady Sidibe who is still battling to recover from the groin injury which he picked up in the local derby against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
