Stoke City and Chelsea have played out a goalless 45 minutes in their League Cup tie at the Britannia Stadium this evening.

The visitors started the match brightly, as Diego Costa forced an early save from Jack Butland, before the England international tipped a powerful Oscar shot over the bar.

Stoke grew into the game, and left-back Marc Muniesa saw an acrobatic effort fly over the bar.

Chelsea thought they had taken the lead on 40 minutes, as John Terry headed a Willian cross into the Potters' goal, but the linesman had flagged for offside against the veteran defender.

The Potters almost broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time, as Mame Biram Diouf found Jonathan Walters in the Chelsea area, only for former Stoke keeper Asmir Begovic to deny the Ireland international with a reaction save.