Stoke City must look to follow up an impressive away point at Manchester City when they host runaway Premier League leaders Chelsea at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday - but can they do it?

Mark Hughes made the decision to switch to a tight compact 4-4-2, which gave Stoke a strong platform to compete against City's superstars. But what will be important to the furthered success of this formation if they opt to keep it against the Blues?

Pressing

The thing that has blown many away was the complete U-turn in Hughes' attitude towards pressing. Despite the wave of ‘Gegenpressing’ that has been sweeping across Western Europe, the Stoke boss has been extremely reluctant to get his players working in such a system.

Yet at the Etihad Stoke executed a pressing system that Jürgen Klopp himself would’ve been proud of.

The Potters waited until City’s full-backs were given the ball, at which point Stoke’s winger would spring forward to them, followed by the full back and centre midfielder who would press their own man.

It disrupted the opposition's passing system, and is something that will certainly assist in Hughes’ strife for three points against Chelsea.

Geoff Cameron

The American has been essential to any success Stoke have had this season, occupying permanently, for the first time, his preferred centre midfield position.

Geoff Cameron cuts out a much more mobile and athletic figure than that of Charlie Adam or Glenn Whelan and his return has benefited the Potters.

In the six games in which Cameron has started in the centre of midfield Stoke are undefeated, winning three and drawing three.

He excelled against City. Floating between midfield and defence the American is fundamental to Hughes’ plan of keeping two banks of four, as he covered for defenders who had been drawn out of position.

Counter attack

The major reason for Stoke’s defensive woes against the top five has been a lack of attacking threat rather than defensive weakness. Yes, defensive mistakes have been aplenty but these are brought on by an open invitation to the opposition to attack as much as they please.

Again this was changed by Hughes for the City clash. The Welshman filled the side with counter-attacking pace with the likes of Mame Diouf, Ramadan Sobhi and Saido Berahino while also using the wily, ever-reliable, Jonathan Walters as a target man.

Neutrals would be forgiven for forgetting that Stoke, who had more shots on target than the Citizens, were without their chief attackers in Marko Arnautović and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Stoke’s attack may have not been the dominate one in the fixture, but it certainly troubled the home side enough to prevent them from going all out in attack, and, ultimately, helped prevent Stoke from sitting back and conceding four goals again.

Will this work against Chelsea?

There is an argument that it will be essential for Stoke to line up with Ramadan on the same flank as Gary Cahill.

The England international is the biggest chink in Chelsea’s armour, as Spurs showed in their victory over Chelsea as they terrorised the centre-half.

Ramadan Sobhi is Stoke’s best dribbling winger and his direct nature had Nicolás Otamendi spinning in the goalless draw with City, and it will be hoped he can do the same to Cahill.

Stoke fans are somewhat unusually confident that Stoke will be only the second task to break Antonio Conte’s 3-4-3 system and find victory.

The task ahead of the Potters is clearly one they are unlikely to succeed in, but with the potential return of both Arnautović and Shaqiri it would be unwise to rule out the North Staffordshire club before kick off.