Defending champions Chelsea plunged into further crisis after suffering a 1-0 Premier League defeat at the hands of Stoke City in the absence of manager Jose Mourinho due to stadium ban.
Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic scored the decisive goal early in the second half as Chelsea crashed to their third consecutive league defeat for the first time in 16 years, Sport24 reported.
Mourinho was given a stadium ban by the Football Association for swearing at match official at half-time of his side's recent defeat at West Ham United.
Chelsea are languishing down at 16 in the league's points table.