Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for what promises to be an intriguing Premier League clash between struggling West Bromwich Albion and top-of-the-table Chelsea. Both teams will be desperate for three points for very different reasons, which should make for an entertaining spectacle.

We'll start by looking at our hosts this evening, and how they could do with a positive result this evening. Things have not exactly gone to plan for Pepe Mel at the Hawthorns so far, with the Spaniard still awaiting his first win as Baggies boss after four attempts. As a club, they have only one once since parting company with Steve Clarke two months ago.

That poor run of just one win in their last 16 matches in all competitions has seen the Baggies slip into the relegation zone for the first time since matchday four, although they won't be panicking too much just yet given the crowded nature of the bottom half of the table at the moment. Just four points separate West Brom from 10th, which means a couple of wins could see them shoot right up the table.

They would have to pull off a major shock if one of those wins were to come tonight, but even a point would be enough to see them climb out of the bottom three this evening. They are currently one point from safety, but their superior goal difference would see them climb above Sunderland if they can hold Chelsea to a draw. Sunderland face Manchester City away tomorrow night, so they are unlikely to make up any gap that West Brom may be able to open.

Conversely, the Baggies could also drop a place to 19th if results go against them this evening, with Cardiff in action against Aston Villa in South Wales. Things may be a little clearer after the current round of games, but there is no doubting that an unexpected win would give West Brom a huge boost tonight.

West Brom's problem this season has simply been their inability to win matches. They have picked up maximum points just four times in the Premier League, which is fewer than any other team in the division and the joint-worst in the top four leagues in English football. By contrast, they have drawn 11 matches - the most in the Premier League - and lost 10.

Goals have not particularly been a problem area for the team, scoring 29 in their 25 games, which is more than any other team in the bottom half of the table. Nor have they conceded a substantial amount of goals compared to the teams around them. The goals just haven't come in the right games to bring in the points that they otherwise might have.

West Brom's recent form has been fairly up and down, despite their lack of wins. Their last two home games have yielded draws against high-flying duo Everton and Liverpool, but they have only won once at the Hawthorns in their last eight matches there. They have also managed just three clean sheets in their last 22 Premier League games in front of their own fans, and the odds of them improving that statistic tonight will be pretty slim.

West Brom's run of one win in 16 matches began with a highly controversial 2-2 draw in their last outing with Chelsea, in which Eden Hazard scored a contentious penalty deep into stoppage time to protect Jose Mourinho's unbeaten home record in the Premier League. A repeat of that 2-2 scoreline would be a disappointing return for Chelsea, who could increase their stranglehold on the Premier League title with a victory tonight.

Arsenal's humiliation at the hands of Liverpool and Manchester City's slip-up against Norwich at Carrow Road allowed Mourinho to guide his 'little horse' to the top of the table, where they are now one point clear of the Gunners. None of the three other teams still in the top four play until tomorrow, so Chelsea could lay down a gauntlet and move four points clear this evening.

They certainly have the form to suggest that a victory is the most likely result, with only Arsenal and West Ham managing to take points of Chelsea in their last 10 Premier League outings. Their unbeaten record stretches to 11 games in all competitions, and nine of those have resulted in Mourinho's men taking maximum points.

Unlike the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, Chelsea's form has not been based on scoring goals at one end, but rather preventing them at the other. They have conceded just 20 times in 25 matches this season, which is the joint-best defensive record in the top four divisions of English football and the best in the Premier League. Their stubbornness in front of their own goal has become even more noticeable in recent weeks, with the Blues conceding just two goals in their last 11 outings and keeping clean sheets in their last four games.

That record becomes even more impressive when you look solely at their away form. Chelsea have not conceded a goal on their travels in any competition since December 17, while the last home team to score against them in the Premier League were Stoke in their 3-2 victory on December 7. Since then, they have kept five clean sheets in a row on the road.

Predictably, that has made Chelsea incredibly hard to beat. They have lost just three times in the league this season - fewer than any other Premier League team - while only Burnley in the Championship can match that impressive tally in the entire Football League. They have not been firing in the goals - scoring the least amount out of any of the top four - but they have been scoring them in the right places, unlike their opponents tonight.

They will be no strangers to leading from the front either, having done so in Mourinho's two title wins in 2005 and 2006. On both of those occasions, Chelsea led the way for substantially longer than the 13 matches required for them to win the title this time around and, with the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Petr Cech all remaining from that era, they will not be short of experience in that respect.

TEAM NEWS: Right, it is about time I brought you some team news! The big news for the hosts is that Thievy makes his full debut for the club having scored when coming on as a sub against Crystal Palace on Saturday, while Billy Jones has not recovered from a knock in time to feature. For Chelsea, Eto'o remains up front with the returning Torres only fit enough for the bench, while in-form Eden Hazard starts as expected. Full team news for both sides on the way.

WEST BROM STARTING XI: Foster; Reid, McAuley, Dawson, Ridgewell; Yacob, Amalfitano, Morrison, Brunt, Thievy; Berahino

WEST BROM SUBS: Myhill, Mulumbu, Lugano, Dorrans, Gera, Anichebe, Vydra

CHELSEA STARTING XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, D Luiz, Azpilicueta; Ramires, Matic; Willian, Oscar, Hazard; Eto'o

CHELSEA SUBS: Schwarzer, Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Schurrle, Salah, Torres

So, what can we make of those two sides? Well, the Baggies are certainly feeling some injuries to important players, amongst them Billy Jones and Jonas Olsson. The defensive duo would have helped them cope with Chelsea's attacks hugely tonight, but they will have to find a way to cope without them now.

One player who will be vital to any West Brom success tonight is Yacob, who will be charged with sitting in front of the front four and stopping the likes of Hazard, Oscar and Willian from playing. It is by no means an easy task, and I am a little surprised not to see Mulumbu alongside side him to help out, but at his best Yacob can be a really effective player there. He could be their most important man tonight.

Up front, Mel has opted for Saido Berahino, who can be fairly hit and miss at time. However, his pace and trickery is likely to cause more problems for the Chelsea defence than the brute force of Anichebe or the more technical play from Vydra. The youngster is likely to have a tough time of things this evening, but he has already shown signs this season of being able to make a real difference for the Baggies.

Chelsea are without skipper John Terry as they look to deal with Berahino, but in David Luiz they have a pretty good replacement. The Brazilian can be something of a defensive liability at times, but Chelsea are likely to do most of the attacking tonight and his inclusion will allow him to come out of defence and send the likes of Ramires and Matic even further upfield.

It is the three men behind the striker that have been the most important players for Chelsea this season, no matter who fills that role. Oscar is so highly rated by Mourinho that he let Mata go to Manchester United, and he has certainly shown glimpses of becoming a top quality player this season. He has the creativity and the guile to slip a defence-splitting pass through to Eto'o as well as the ability to finish any chances that may fall his way too.

The star of the show for Chelsea, however, is undoubtedly Eden Hazard at the moment. Jose Mourinho described the Belgian as the best young player in the world right now and, while there are others who can also lay claim to that crown, the winger is certainly in the conversation. He is in blistering form this season and comes into this match on the back of his first ever hat-trick in English football in the win over Newcastle on Saturday. He is also the club's top scorer, with 12 goals, and top creator, with five assists, this season.

Up front they have the experience of Samuel Eto'o, who has started to find his feet in English football after a slower start than many were expecting. Mourinho will also be glad to have Torres back on the bench to give him another option too as the Spaniard was in decent form before suffering a knee injury against Manchester United three weeks ago.

PREDICTION: We're 10 minutes from kickoff at the Hawthorns, which means that it is time for my match prediction! West Brom have been hard to call at home recently, struggling for wins but drawing with the likes of Everton and Liverpool. However, Chelsea's form is just too good to ignore, and their defensive record is sensational of late. I can't see the Baggies coming away with a victory and, while they may run their opponents close, I'm going to go for an away win. 2-0 to Chelsea.

One stat that West Brom manager Pepe Mel may not be keen to hear is that only one Premier League manager for West Brom has gone more matches without picking up a win from the start of his tenure. However, Mel's four matches is still some way short of the 11 games it took Bryan Robson to pick up maximum points between November 2005 and January 2005.

The Baggies do have some good recent history to fall back on in this match having beaten Chelsea in their last two meetings at the Hawthorns. They have only been beaten once in the last four matches against the Blues, a run that includes that controversial draw at Stamford Bridge earlier this season.

This game is the late kickoff tonight, with three other matches in the Premier League already underway. It remains goalless in all of them at the moment, but I will keep you up to date with any major events from around the country as and when they happen. Alternatively, you can follow the other three matches live with us here.

So, both teams are in desperate need of a victory this evening, but for very different reasons. A reminder that West Brom would move out of the bottom three with a win or even a draw this evening, while Chelsea could go four points clear at the top of the table with a victory.

KICKOFF: West Brom get us underway at the Hawthorns in this huge Premier League clash. Can the Baggies pull off a big shock to end their poor run of form, or will the Chelsea machine keep on rolling?

Decent enough start from West Brom as they see a lot of the ball and pass it confidently around inside the Chelsea half. However, they aren't going anywhere with it and eventually a misplaced pass gifts the ball to the visitors.

The Baggies are keeping their defensive shape well in these early stages, and it is clear that Mel has spent time on it on the training ground. The hosts are not defending deep unless Chelsea really push up, and then they are packing the edge of the box as their two lines of four almost become one line of eight.

In true Mourinho style, Chelsea are being fairly cautious away from home as well. If one of Ramires or Matic moves up past the halfway line then another player immediately drops in to make sure that they have six men behind the ball. It is easy to see why they have kept so many clean sheets recently.

The visitors get a free kick in a decent crossing position but Willian chooses to take it quickly, playing a short pass to Hazard. The Belgian tries to slip a clever pass through to Eto'o in the box, but the ball was just too far in front of the striker.

Calamitous play all round as David Luiz's long ball is missed by Eto'o forcing Foster to come out and clear it on the edge of the box with a Chelsea man in close attendance. He slices his clearance however, and Ivanovic goes for goal first time from around 40 yards, only to skew his effort towards the corner flag.

Intricate play from Chelsea as Willian feeds Eto'o behind the defence and he in turn plays it back to Oscar inside the box. The Brazilian looks like he will have a shooting chance, but his first touch is just a fraction too heavy and West Brom eventually scramble it clear.

West Brom are unhappy here as Berahino is flagged for offside just as he looked to be through on goal. Amalfitano says something out of turn and the referee warns captain Chris Brunt that anymore of that will result in a booking. It is needless too as the linesman made the correct decision.

It hasn't been a great opening 15 minutes, it must be said. Both sides look wary of piling too many men forward and it is all a bit cautious at the moment.

Bifouma momentarily gets behind the defence and he looks up to see two men in support in the box. He tries to pull the ball back to one of them, but it is a poor, underhit pass, and Cahill is able to step in and clear the danger.

Another decision goes against Amalfitano and again he has a few choice words for the official, but this time he cuts it short with the ref surely thinking of flashing a card. Any such booking would be a silly one for the winger and he needs to start holding his tongue a little here.

Both teams are seeing plenty of the ball here, but we are yet to see any real quality in the attacking third - or anywhere on the pitch for that matter! This one is just crying out for a player like Hazard to grab it by the scruff of the neck.

Cech is out quickly to mop up an attempted through ball from the hosts as Berahino attempted to beat Cahill in a straight race. That looks like being the Baggies' best avenue of attacking this evening, turning the defence and utilising their relative lack of pace against them.

CHANCE! The best opening of the match so far is snuffed out by some fine defending from the hosts. Willian chipped the ball through to Eto'o, who turned his man on the left side of the box before pulling the ball back towards Ivanovic, who found himself in the area. However, before he can get a shot away a mixture of McAuley and Yacob get a foot in and bundle it behind for a corner.

Yacob commits a blatant foul in the middle of park, hanging on to Hazard as he skipped past him on the halfway line. It is common to see a yellow card for such challenges nowadays, so Yacob can count himself a little lucky that he hasn't gone into the book there.

Hazard has moved onto the right wing now and he picks up the ball in his new position before sending a dangerous centre right across the face of goal. No Chelsea place are gambling in the area, however, and it flashes away from danger.

CLOSE! Willian gets the ball just outside the box and drops a shoulder to create room to go for goal. He hits a powerful effort that swerves narrowly past the angle of the crossbar at the near post.

CHANCE! West Brom have their best opening of the match so far as Berahino manages to latch on to a deep cross into the box. He nods it back into Bifouma, who decides to take a touch instead of hitting it first time. His control is poor and takes him away from goal, but he still manages to squeeze it to Brunt, who flashes a first-time effort a couple of yards wide of the far post.

We have had half an hour of football at the Hawthorns and, while both teams have had sights of goal we are yet to have a really clear chance. This one needs a goal to liven things up.

Berahino comes forward again and escapes the attention of Matic on the right. He then has time to look up and pick a teammate out in the box, but his low pass into the area was easily picked off by the defence.

Really good play from Foster as he races off his line to make a brave tackle at the feet of Ivanovic, who had raced forward after a clever one-two. That was good, alert goalkeeping from the West Brom keeper.

Another ball comes into the box from Chelsea, and this time it is McAuley who is charged with dealing with the danger. His clearance is not the most convincing as he slices it over his own bar, but once again the Baggies deal with the resulting corner.

Bifouma and Berahino have looked very lively up front for the Baggies but they have lacked the killer final pass when they have got into good positions. They have certainly shown enough to suggest that they can threaten the Chelsea backline tonight, though.

Chelsea will be forced to play with 10 men momentarily as Ramires limps off following a painful clash of knees with Bifouma. He should be able to continue, but that one will have been sore for the midfielder, who is not getting any sympathy from the home fans.

Indeed, back on he trots, and he is greeted by a renewed set of jeers from the fans who still remember how the reverse meeting between these two sides ended earlier this season.

Hazard comes down the left this time before giving the ball to Oscar, who in turn rolls it to Ramires on the edge of the box. The Brazilian looks to be lining up a shot, but he is well tackled from behind and Chelsea have yet another corner.

YELLOW CARD! Amalfitano finally gets his inevitable yellow card, but at least it isn't for dissent. He trips Hazard on the left wing and the referee correctly puts him into the book. Chelsea now have a free kick in a good crossing position.

SHOT! The free kick is blocked by the wall but Chelsea worked it back in towards the box. It eventually falls to Willian just outside the area, and he chests it down before sending a dipping a volley a few yards over the bar. Foster looked to have that one covered, though.

Ramires advances down the right flank before putting a good low ball in towards the front post. Eto'o gets in front of his man and swipes a leg at the ball, but he can't connect and Dawson makes a good challenge before the Baggies are able to clear the danger.

There will be a minimum of two additional minutes at the end of this first half.

Chelsea take the lead with the very last action of the first half! What a time to score for the visitors as their seventh corner of the first half is flicked on by David Luiz and converted by Ivanovic, who has his second goal in the space of little more than a week. Massive goal for Chelsea.

Well, is there a better time to score than that? Chelsea go into the break with a slender 1-0 lead after a largely uneventful half that didn't provide a single good chance until the very last action. That turns a frustrating half of football into a successful one for the Blues, who are on course to move four points clear at the top of the table.

It was Ivanovic who got the goal, taking advantage of the first real defensive lapse of the match from either side. David Luiz stole a yard at the front post to flick a corner into a more dangerous area, and Ivanovic was waiting there to sweep it home from close range.

The Baggies will be devastated at having conceded that goal after a half of disciplined defence that had nullified the threat of Hazard and co. They set up in a rigid defensive formation that Chelsea were struggling to break down, so to give away what they will consider a soft goal will be particularly galling for Pepe Mel.

In truth, Chelsea have just about deserved their lead having begun to apply more pressure as they half wore on. They saw a lot of the ball and looked most likely to score without really creating a clear chance. It has been a typical Chelsea away performance so far, with the Blues not committing many men forward and nicking a goal to take the lead.

UPDATE: The goals haven't exactly been flying in elsewhere around the country either, with the other three Premier League matches currently taking place still goalless. They are all underway in the second half now having kicked off 15 minutes earlier than us.

It is worth noting that West Brom have come from a goal down to draw with Everton and Liverpool in their last two home outings, but this will be the biggest ask of the lot. They are certainly unlikely to get a similar gift to the one that Kolo Toure gave them in the Liverpool encounter.

KICKOFF: Chelsea get us back underway for the second half as they look to hold on to another victory by keeping a sixth straight away clean sheet. Can they do it or will West Brom come from behind at home once again?

Half a chance for Chelsea at the start of this second period as Yacob makes a mess of his clearance, gifting it straight to Oscar. The Brazilian has to adjust quickly before firing a first-time half volley towards goal, eventually sending his effort harmlessly wide.

We've gone past the seven-hour mark since Chelsea last conceded a goal, which is a big achievement. It doesn't make for the best viewing for the neutral when they play like this, but I doubt Mourinho cares much about that. His first title-winning team with Chelsea was built on a strong defence, and it looks like he is trying to replicate that this season.

CHANCE! Willian dances past a couple of challenges before flicking the ball through to Eto'o inside the box. The striker does really well to hit a powerful shot on the turn, but Foster is on hand to make a good stop at his near post. Moments later, Yacob gets a yellow card for a foul in the build-up to that chance.

Willian has looked like Chelsea's most lively player this evening, but it is fair to say that none of the three attacking midfielders have quite been at their best. The visitors just haven't played with a high enough tempo to utilise the trio.

For West Brom, their front two have looked lively but Cech is yet to have a troubling moment in the match. It is hard to see where a West Brom chance is going to come from either as Chelsea look so solid both in midfield and at the back. There does not seem to be any way through for the hosts.

UPDATE: Finally, we have a goal in one of the other Premier League matches tonight! It has gone the way of Southampton, who have taken the lead against Hull at the KC Stadium courtesy of a Rickie Lambert strike.

Chelsea work the ball out wide to Oscar on the right, and he has a rare amount of space to work with. However, he waits for a defender to come across before pushing the ball past him and sending a cross over the crossbar.

SAVE! More good play from Willian as he works space to shoot from range before unleashing a stinging effort towards goal. It takes a deflection on the way through, and Foster adjusts well to make a smart stop, pushing the ball away to safety.

Ivanovic carelessly gives the ball away on the halfway line, but the Chelsea players work so hard to get back that Amalfitano is forced to cut back before being dispossessed. Their work rate off the ball is arguably the best in the league.

Brunt slips a pass down the right channel to Bifouma, but he tries to cut inside inside of crossing the ball and is subsequently crowded out by two Chelsea defenders. Once again, no end product in the final third for the hosts.

WEST BROM SUB: Yacob's afternoon is over as he limps off after receiving a slight knock, although the injury doesn't look too serious. He is replaced by Mulumbu, who should give the hosts a bit more drive from midfield.

West Brom put some rare sustained pressure on the Chelsea defence, with Mulumbu immediately involved and lofting a high ball over to Berahino, who chested it down before playing it back to Amalfitano. The winger chooses to take his man on and eventually wins a corner for the Baggies.

The subsequent corner to too high for Dawson but McAuley is behind his defensive partner to latch on to the cross. However, he gets his header all wrong, planting it into the ground before watching it bounce some way wide.

YELLOW CARD! Willian in the latest player to go into the book and, even though the referee signals that it is for a totting up process, it is a harsh one.

UPDATE: A potentially huge goal goes the way of West Ham at home to Norwich, with James Collins giving the Hammers a lead with just over five minutes left.

Meanwhile, here at the Hawthorns, Hazard races behind the defence before holding the ball up and waiting for support. It comes in the shape of Eto'o, who flashes a powerful effort well wide of the near post having been put in by the Belgian.

CHELSEA SUB: That will be Eto'o's last action of the match as he is replaced by the returning Fernando Torres, who is making his 100th Premier League appearance for Chelsea.

SAVE! This has to go down as a waste for Chelsea. Hazard is released down the left flank and for once the visitors pour forward in support of him. The Belgian has plenty of time to decide what to do with the ball, cutting inside from the left wing and into the box. However, he takes too long on it and eventually the home defence get back in numbers. The ball eventually falls to Willian on the edge, but his powerful shot it straight at the keeper.

CHANCE! Decent chance for the hosts as Morrison cuts inside from the left and creates space to shoot from inside the box. He is off balance when he lets fly, however, and slices his shot well wide.

WEST BROM SUB: Pepe Mel chooses to bring on an extra striker as he looks to chase this game, and Victor Anichebe is the man to get the call. He comes on for Amalfitano.

CHANCE! Huge chance for the hosts as a corner falls to Bifouma as the back post, but his powerful volley back across goal takes a deflection on its way just wide for another corner.

CHANCE! West Brom are really knocking on the door right now. Brunt whips a cross into the box and Chelsea just about get it momentarily clear before it is hauled back into the area. This time it falls to Brunt at the back post, but his left-footed volley is dragged wide without a Chelsea player near him. You'd have fancied him to do better with that one!

YELLOW CARD! Ivanovic goes into the book in bizarre fashion after he was involved in a big argument with Cech following that Brunt chance. Mourinho will not be happy at seeing such unrest between two members of his own team!

WEST BROM SUB: Final throw of the dice for Mel as Vydra comes on for Bifouma, who gets a warm reception as he sprints off after a lively home debut.

CHELSEA SUB: Mourinho responds with a change of his own, and it speaks volumes about his intentions for the closing stages of this match. Oscar makes way to be replaced by the defensive-minded Mikel.

CHANCE! Huge chance for the hosts as they continue to apply the pressure in this final 15 minutes. Brunt swings a fine corner into the area that Dawson rises highest to meet. However, he can't keep his effort down from the edge of the six-yard box, nodding it over the bar.

YELLOW CARD! David Luiz becomes the latest name in the referee's book for a cynical foul that gives the Baggies a free kick in a promising position.

The initial free kick is easily dealt with by Chelsea but it comes straight back at them and Matic concedes another free kick in an even more dangerous position. Brunt will look to whip this one in towards the far post.

He does exactly that, but Cech reads it well and gathers comfortably as Brunt's ball eludes his West Brom teammates in the area.

Cahill is down here and a number of Chelsea immediately crowd round him, forcing West Brom to kick the ball out of play. Call me cynical, but that looked like a time-wasting ploy, as does them taking the longest possible route off the pitch when the referee eventually orders them to leave.

West Brom have found the equaliser in the closing stages! Anichebe makes a good run into the box and just gets to a cross ahead of Cech, flicking his header past the keeper and into the far corner. It is a clever finish from the big striker, who becomes the first man to score past Chelsea in more than 750 minutes. What a huge goal that could be for both sides here.

YELLOW CARD! Matic becomes the seventh man in the referee's book tonight for a clumsy challenge on Reid. It is West Brom's turn to take their time now!

CHELSEA SUB: Mourinho was initially planning to bring Lampard on before that equaliser, but he changes tact here and goes for the more attacking Mohamed Salah. Can the new boy make the difference?

CHANCE! It is all West Brom at the moment! Brunt receives the ball on the edge of the box and tries to guide a shot into the top corner with that dangerous left foot of his, but he sends it high and wide of the mark when he should have done better.

There will be a minimum of SIX minutes added time at the end of this match! Still plenty of time for an awful lot to happen at the Hawthorns, will we see any more late drama?

Chelsea come forward through Ivanovic, who is given space 25 yards from goal. With his recent scoring record, it is no surprise to see him go for goal, but he sends his low effort wide of the near post, much to the delight of the home fans.

CHANCE! Cahill, to be fair to him, is still limping a bit here, and that causes him problems here. The ball is hoofed clear by West Brom and Anichebe - not the fastest - erases a five-yard deficit to beat Cahill to the ball. However, the Chelsea man just about gets back in time to make a block and concede a corner.

Willian has a late shot from the edge of the box and it deflects wide for a corner, despite Foster's best efforts. Chelsea scored from a corner late in the first half, surely they won't do it again at the end of the second?

Well, what a dramatic second half that was! West Brom comes from behind at home to draw 1-1 for the third match in a row courtesy of a late Victor Anichebe header. That points is enough to take them out of the relegation zone, while Chelsea miss the chance to move four points clear at the top and could now find themselves knocked off the summit depending on results tomorrow.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for what could prove to be a hugely important day in both the title race and the relegation battle as West Brom hold league leaders Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns. Be sure to stick around for our match report, reaction and analysis, all of which will be on the site shortly, and there is plenty more live Premier League action on offer for you tomorrow. Until then, though, it is goodbye from me!