Young Pretender takes the stage

As part of a new weekly feature, Premier League Spotlight previews the top-flight weekend fixtures, highlighting the key points to keep an eye on as the action unfolds. Under the microscope this week ahead of the opening round of games: Andres Villas-Boas, a meeting of two clubs in a pickle, and the new boys.

Andre Villas-Boas: The Young Pretender?

Chelsea's youthful manager would be wise to not, firstly, go sprinting down the touchline when/if his side scores against Stoke on Sunday, and then, secondly, make a triple substitution before half-time when/if his side are in a spot of bother. Doing so would fuel the already-tiresome comparisons with a certain ex-Chelsea manager, who also arrived from Porto having enjoyed European success at a relatively young age for a coach. He's his own man, and to describe him otherwise is, frankly, lazy. And, therefore, being his own man, it will be rather intriguing to see how the Blues perform versus 2011's FA Cup runners-up with Villas-Boas orchestrating matters from the touchline.

With few new faces actually added to Chelsea's ranks thus far, there is further interest in how Villas-Boas manipulates the current crop, whether there is an actual degree of difference to Carlo Ancelotti's reign. Indeed, this is only the Portuguese's first competitive match in charge, and making your mark takes time, but an insipid display would be best avoided regardless, if only to dodge the flagging up of his age of 33. A visit to the Britannia Stadium is something of a baptism of fire, yet Villas-Boas arrives in England boasting a quite inspiring away record at Porto. Indeed, the coach witnessed his former side lose just one away game in all competitions last season (against Villarreal in May).

To add weight to Chelsea's cause, the club have won their last nine opening day fixtures - the longest run of its kind since the Premier League formed. And, while Stoke usually provide a fierce battle, Chelsea have done well against them in recent times, winning five of their last six meetings with the Potters. Asked about Villas-Boas' impact at Stamford Bridge, captain John Terry said: "He has brought a lot of new fresh ideas to the training, to the way he wants us to play, which will hopefully get us to lift this at the end of the season. His whole demeanour and the emphasis he is putting on training, he has brought an awful lot to us in a very short space of time."

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