Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's huge Premier League clash between Chelsea and Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge! We are coming down to the business end of the season now, and if ever a match highlighted that fact then it is this one. Chelsea could move to within one win of the Premier League title with a victory tonight, which would also relegate Middlesbrough, who realistically need a win themselves to have any hope of pulling off a late escape from the drop zone. It is a match which is likely to be decisive at both ends of the table but, before we take a closer look at the situations both clubs find themselves in, let's first check out the team news...

CHELSEA STARTING XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill; Moses, Fabregas, Matic, Alonso; Pedro, Diego Costa, Hazard

CHELSEA SUBS: Begovic, Terry, Zouma, Ake, Chalobah, Loftus-Cheek, Willian

MIDDLESBROUGH STARTING XI: Guzan; Fabio, Chambers, Gibson, Friend; Clayton, De Roon, Forshaw, Traore, Downing; Negredo

MIDDLESBROUGH SUBS: Dimi, Barragan, Bernardo, Leadbitter, Guedioura, Bamford, Gestede

What can we make of those two teams, then? Well, the big news as far as Chelsea are concerned is that newly-crowned FWA Footballer of the Year N'Golo Kante misses out this evening due to a thigh strain. The defensive midfielder has been magnificent this season, as shown by winning both the FWA and PFA Player of the Year awards, but with all due respect to Middlesbrough there aren't many games Chelsea would rather him miss than this one. Cesc Fabregas comes into the side in the Frenchman's place.

David Luiz was also a doubt for tonight's game having landed heavily during the closing stages of the win over Everton last time out, forcing him off in that game, but he has recovered in time to start this evening in an unchanged back three. That trio has been Conte's preferred choice ever since he switched formation in September, with Courtois behind them, although their defensive record has been worse than expected over recent months so they will be keen to end the season on a high with a few clean sheets.

Indeed, with the exception of Kante's absence, it is a full-strength side from Chelsea this evening, and Fabregas is hardly a bad player to be able to bring in. The Spaniard needs just one more assist to move into double figures for the season, and should he manage that in Chelsea's final four games then he would become the first player in Premier League history to record 10 or more assists in six separate campaigns. He is currently level with Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney in having achieved that five times, but one tonight would put him out on his own.

Fabregas has no shortage of targets to aim for, with goals throughout this Chelsea side from back to front. That attacking trio of Hazard, Costa and Pedro have been particularly impressive, though, with the latter stealing the limelight against Everton when he thundered a shot in off the underside of the bar. Hazard finished second to only Kante in the voting for the FWA Football of the Year award, while Costa needs just one more goal to equal his best ever goalscoring season in the Premier League - 20, set in 2014-15.

It is a side full of the quality which you wouldn't exactly want to come up against with your Premier League survival on the line, but that is the situation Boro find themselves in tonight and Steve Agnew has made just one change to his side as they looks to pull off arguably the biggest upset of the Premier League season. Adama Traore, whose pace and trickery can cause all sorts of problems but whose final ball too often lets him down, returns to the starting XI in place of Stuani.

Traore should get chances to get in behind the marauding Alonso tonight, and if so he will more often than not be aiming for Alvaro Negredo in the box. The Spaniard is Middlesbrough's top scorer this season and has done all he can to keep the club in the division, but there has been a lack of service to him - in addition to a lack of goalscoring support. Boro's most likely route of a goal tonight looks like being a cross from Downing or Traore to the former Manchester City man, but he is up against a Chelsea defence who are capable of dealing with that.

There are welcome returns for Leadbitter and Guedioura on the bench for Boro after they returned to training following hamstring and groin strains respectively, but on the pitch Agnew sticks with an unchanged midfield trio of Clayton, De Roon and Forshaw. De Roon popped up with what looked like it could be a crucial goal against Sunderland recently, but on the most part that midfield has not done enough going forward to keep Boro away from trouble this season. Gaston Ramirez is the type of player who could change things in a game, but he misses out tonight due to a pelvic problem.

Spanish duo Victor Valdes and Daniel Ayala also remain sidelined for this game, forcing Agnew into naming an unchanged back five that will look to keep the league's biggest scorers at bay. Guzan continues to deputise between the sticks, and in front of him Fabio, Chambers, Gibson and Friend all retain their places. Fabio and Friend are likely to be pinned back for much of tonight's match, but they like to get forward when they can and Boro may have no option but to go all-out attack at some stage here.

In truth, that Boro lineup is not one that will strike fear into the hearts of many Chelsea fans, and there is no doubt that the hosts come into this one as overwhelming favourites to continue their march towards the Premier League title. That charge stalled somewhat last month as defeats to Crystal Palace and Manchester United allowed Tottenham hope of catching their London rivals, but Spurs' loss to West Ham United on Friday night takes a lot of the pressure off Antonio Conte's side and it is very hard to see them tripping up from this position.

Chelsea could actually wrap up the title before Tottenham kick another ball, with two wins being enough to put them out of reach of Mauricio Pochettino's side. Victory tonight would see half of the job done, and they are in action again on Friday night away to West Bromwich Albion, which is a match that they will also be expected to win. Even if their wait if prolonged beyond Friday, Chelsea face home games against Watford and relegated Sunderland in their last two games, so it would take a bizarre set of results for them to throw the title away.

It is actually a surprise that Chelsea haven't already wrapped up the title, with those April losses setting the party back a little and Spurs winning nine on the bounce before their costly slip-up at West Ham. Chelsea come into this match having won five of their last six games across all competitions, with those two defeats before their only ones in their last 19 outings during which time they have won 15. It has been relentless form from the Blues since September, and it is hard to argue against them becoming deserved champions.

This Chelsea side have not only been the best team this season, but they are also in line to go down as one of the best teams in Premier League history. Their current tally of 81 points is the same tally as Leicester won the Premier League with last term, and reaching it in just 34 games is the division's best record since Chelsea themselves in 2005-06. Should the Blues win their remaining four games - as they will be favourites to do in each - then they will end the season with a points tally of 93, which has only been bettered once in the Premier League era, by Jose Mourinho's Chelsea side of 2004-05.

The Blues have been particularly impressive at home, where they have won 16 of their last 17 matches across all competitions and 19 of 21 throughout the entire campaign. That includes picking up 36 home points from the last 39 available in the Premier League, and another victory this evening would see them become just the third time in the division's history to win 300 times in front of their own fans - after Manchester United and Arsenal.

Despite that, Chelsea have not kept a clean sheet at Stamford Bridge since January, and last Sunday's hugely impressive 3-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park gave them their first shutout in 13 Premier League matches. That is a major dip in defensive form for a team that had kept 12 clean sheets in their 16 outings prior to that run, although fortunately for them their league-leading attack has bailed them out on most occasions.

The difference between Chelsea this season from last is quite staggering, with the likes of Costa and Hazard returning to their best form since the arrival of Antonio Conte. The Blues are 34 points better off than at the same stage of last season, when they sat down in ninth place, and we shouldn't forget that Conte still has the chance to emulate his compatriot Carlo Ancelotti in winning the league and FA Cup double in his debut campaign at the club.

There will be no shortage of envious glances at Chelsea from the Middlesbrough end tonight as the Smoggies battle to keep their Premier League status intact for another week at least. Their hopes of avoiding the drop are, if anything, even slimmer than their hopes this evening, though. Boro are currently seven points adrift of safety with just three games remaining, and considering the form of Swansea City and Hull City, Boro realistically need to win all of those matches to stand any chance of surviving.

The fact that one of those games comes away to the champions-elect tonight is bad enough, but Boro must also face Southampton at home and Liverpool away before the end of the season - a huge ask for them to get nine points from. A draw this evening would mathematically keep their mouths above water for another week, with six points then the gap to Swansea heading into the final two games of the season. Boro do have a better goal difference than the Swans and Hull, which may give them an extra glimmer of hope, but the likelihood of it coming down to that is very slim.

Swansea's win over Everton at the weekend made Boro's task all the more difficult, but in truth they haven't done enough to survive over the course of this season. Their lack of goals has been the overwhelming issue, scoring a league-low 26 in their 35 games - including a run of failing to score in 10 of their recent 16-match winless streak. Boro's defensive record is actually the best in the bottom half, and only three worse than the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, but at the sharp end of the field they have been sorely lacking.

Middlesbrough have only lost one game more than ninth-placed Leicester this season, but their league-low tally of just five wins all term has been another big issue. Only one of those wins has come in Boro's last 18 Premier League games too, a run which stretches back to December 17. There have been signs of improvement in the past two games, with the solitary win over Sunderland being followed up by a 2-2 draw with Manchester City last time out, but it feels like too little too late for Agnew's side.

That draw at home to City may be the only hint of optimism for Boro fans to cling to tonight, but even that game ended in disappointment as they twice gave up a lead, including an 85th-minute equaliser from Gabriel Jesus. At any other point of the season it would have been regarded as a decent result for Middlesbrough, but they couldn't really afford anything other than a win. Still, should they somehow avoid defeat tonight they it would be an unbeaten streak of three games for the first time since November.

Boro's form has been particularly poor away from home, where they are winless in their last 17 outings across all competitions, including 16 in the Premier League. That run stretches back to the second weekend of the season, when they beat Sunderland in what is their only away win of the campaign. Boro have failed to even score in eight of their last 10 away games, registering a measly three goals during that period.

Even their usually-solid defence has let them down in the last two away games, conceding four goals to both Hull and Bournemouth - as many as they had in their previous eight away games before that. At the other end, Boro have mustered just 93 shots on target throughout the entire Premier League campaign, which is four fewer than Chelsea have managed in only their home games. It would take a major turnaround in form if Boro were to avoid a record-equalling fourth Premier League relegation tonight.

PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff at Stamford Bridge, which means that it is time for my prediction! It is hard to see hope whatsoever for Middlesbrough tonight - Chelsea have not been complacent this season and have a fine record against the lower teams, whereas Boro seem to only be delaying the inevitability of relegation. I am going to go for a 3-0 home win and confirmation that Boro will be playing Championship football next season.

The recent history between these two sides does not provide any source of hope of Boro either, with Chelsea having won their last seven meetings in all competitions without conceding a single goal - including six in a row in the Premier League. The Blues have scored 16 unanswered goals since AUgust 2006, when Boro ran out 2-1 winners at the Riverside.

Boro's record here at Stamford Bridge is even worse - they haven't won away to Chelsea in the league since March 1975, a run of 18 matches that includes six draws and 12 defeats. What's more, they have only scored five times in those games and have failed to find the back of the net in any of their last seven visits since an Alen Boksic strike in September 2001.

Middlesbrough's most recent visit to Stamford Bridge came in January 2009 when a Salomon Kalou brace steered Chelsea to a 2-0 victory in a season that ended with Boro being relegated. The reverse fixture this season finished 1-0 to Chelsea, meanwhile, with Diego Costa getting the only goal of the game.

Right, the players are on their way out on a nice sunny evening at Stamford Bridge on what could be a fateful day for both clubs.

KICKOFF: Middlesbrough get us underway at Stamford Bridge!

OFF THE BAR! What a start this would have been for Chelsea! They stroke the ball about comfortably, going from front to back and then back to the front again. It finally ends with Fabregas floating a ball over to Alonso on the left side of the area, and the wing-back hammers a fine first-time volley towards goal. Guzan reacts well to get a touch on it, and it pings up against the crossbar before going out. Chelsea fans were almost getting the party started already!

Chelsea don't look in any danger of being complacent today. They are right on their game both on and off the ball, playing with a good level of intensity as they look to build on that early Alonso chance.

The Stamford Bridge crowd are in good voice this evening, and I suppose they have good reason to be too. That Tottenham defeat seems to have eliminated any semblance of doubt that they will win the title.

Once again Alonso steals in behind the Boro defence down the left channel and once more he is picked out by a brilliant diagonal pass. He takes it down well before flashes a low ball across the face of goal which runs all the way through to safety.

Almost a chance for Boro to create their first sight of goal as Traore beats Alonso to make space for a cross before playing a low ball in to Forshaw. The midfielder's touch is a little heavy, though, and Chelsea are able to smuggle it behind for a corner.

We're 10 minutes into this one and so far Chelsea's best avenue of attack seems to be via Alonso down the left flank, with Traore neglecting his defensive duties on a couple of occasions. That looks like being an interesting duel, though, as Traore has had a couple of runs at the Chelsea wing-back at the other end of the field.

Azpilicueta floats another deep cross towards the left side of the area, and this time it is Costa who is trying to get on the end of it. It is just too far in front of the striker, though, and Costa can't bring it down.

Middlesbrough have at least prevented Chelsea from really kicking on after such a quick start, but the hosts are still carrying a threat when they come forward. Conte's side have a free kick within shooting range here...

SHOT! Luiz takes on the free kick, but he can't get the ball to dip back down in time and it flies comfortably over the crossbar.

CHANCE! Fabregas will be very disappointed with this one! Traore loses the ball when surrounded by blue shirts and Chelsea quickly turn defence into attack by slipping Hazard in down the left. The Belgian takes his time to pick out a pass from the byline, eventually finding Fabregas on the edge of the box, but he passes his finish well wide of the target when he should have done a lot better.

The possession in this opening 20 minutes or so has been 50-50, surprisingly. Chelsea seem as though they have had much more of the ball, although their possession has come in much more promising positions.

CHANCE! Chelsea come close again, but somehow the ball doesn't end up in the back of the net. Again the ball from right to left sees them get in behind as Hazard beats the offside trap before rolling the ball right across the six-yard box. Costa is flying in, but Friend does just about enough to not only prevent the Chelsea striker from getting to the ball but also to avoid scoring an own goal himself.

Chelsea have the breakthrough as Middlesbrough slide ever closer to the drop. Once again it is that same diagonal ball into the box that sees Chelsea get in, with Costa the man to profit on this occasion. Not for the first time tonight it is Fabregas who delivers the pass and, despite Fabio getting a touch on the way through, Costa is able to take it down and roll the ball through the legs of Guzan from close range.

Fabregas, who has now achieved that feat of becoming the first player in Premier League history to have registered 10 or more assists in six separate season, is having a field day out there tonight. He is being given all the time in the world to pick out those diagonal passes which are doing all the damage.

Half a chance for Middlesbrough to pull and goal back and just halt the Chelsea celebrations as the ball drops to De Roon on the edge of the box. He is able to get a shot away too, but Cahill makes the block.

A safe first goalscorer bet, Diego Costa now has 20 Premier League strikes for the season...

7 - No player has scored the opening goal of a @premierleague game more often than Diego Costa this season. Alpha. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 8, 2017

It will be interesting to see whether Chelsea really go for the jugular in this match. One more goal for the Blues and Middlesbrough would really be there for the taking and, while there may be some sympathy for the visitors due to their relegation, Conte doesn't strike me as a man of mercy on the football field. They could really send a message tonight if things go their way.

Lovely football from Chelsea as Moses plays a short pass in to Hazard, who returns the favour with a fine flick that send the wing-back in behind the defence. Once again the low delivery flashes right across the face of goal without getting a touch, though.

Well, Middlesbrough cannot say that they weren't warned. Chelsea have their second of the night, almost toying with the visitors when knocking the ball about before Azpilicueta this time plays that same diagonal ball into the box. Alonso is the one on the end of it this time, and he hammers the ball across goal, where it deflects off the leg of Guzan and in. It will go down as a Guzan own goal, but Boro's problems are a lot deeper than just the goalkeeper.

It is incredible that Boro have not done something to prevent Chelsea's tactic. It has happened time after time and gifted Chelsea a clear chance on almost every occasion - if something doesn't change then this could be a cricket score.

CHANCE! Fabregas is really purring tonight. He spreads another beauty of a pass forward and Moses darts down the right channel to latch on to it, but his effort is denied by the legs of Guzan.

Boro are not exactly going down with a fight here, but it is hard to blame them. They are second best to Chelsea in every area and, when the hosts are in this type of form, not many teams can stop them.

SHOT! Chelsea win another free kick in a shooting position and this time it is Alonso who takes on the duties, but his effort takes a nick off the top of the wall on its way over the bar. Guzan was still worried, though!

Any Middlesbrough attack is usually followed by a swift Chelsea counter, which is making things so difficult for the visitors. They are almost afraid to commit too many men forward, but they simply have to as they are heading for the drop tonight as things stand.

There will be a minimum of one minute added time at the end of this first half.

Chelsea are in complete control of this match at the halfway stage, then, and in truth it could be a lot worse for Middlesbrough. The hosts have been utterly dominant and it looks as though they will cruise to within one win of the Premier League title, while Boro will need a miraculous turnaround if they are to avoid being relegated from the top flight tonight.

Chelsea almost broke the deadlock after less than two minutes when Marcos Alonso struck the crossbar early on, and that was a sign of things to come. The hosts did eventually get the opening midway through the half when Fabregas played the ball in to Costa, who had the time to take a touch before sliding the ball through the legs of Guzan from close range.

Chelsea's deserved second arrived a little over 10 minutes later, and again it was the diagonal ball from right to left that caused all of the problems. This time Azpilicueta picked out the pass, finding Alonso unmarked in the area, and his strike back across the face of goal hit the inside of Guzan's leg before deflecting in. It looked as though Alonso's effort was heading off target, which means that it will go down as a Guzan own goal.

Middlesbrough fans, it is time for you to look away. This is the bottom of the table as things stand at the halfway point in this match, with Boro heading for relegation. The gap, if this stays the same, will stand at seven points with only two games left.

Chelsea fans, you can feast your eyes on this - the Blues are heading seven points clear at the top of the table and just one win from the title!

KICKOFF: Chelsea get us back underway for the second half!

OFF THE BAR! They hit the bar within two minutes of the first half, and they've done the same within one minute of the restart! Chelsea are close to adding a third as Hazard rolls the ball into the path of Pedro, whose powerful effort clips the top of the woodwork on its way over.

This could be a long half for Middlesbrough. Chelsea have come flying out of the blocks and look intent on adding to the visitors' misery to the extent that Boro would probably take the full-time whistle now despite it meaning relegation from the Premier League.

Matic has been urged to shoot every time he has had the ball tonight thanks to that thunderbolt in the FA Cup semi-final last month, and he finally does let fly this time but De Roon gets out to make the block.

SHOT! Chelsea are just camped in the Boro half at the moment, and Azpilicueta has probably spent as much time in Boro's third as he has in his own tonight. He has a go from range here and it is not a bad effort whatsoever, with the 25-yard strike hitting the stanchion on its way behind.

CLOSE! Alonso has been left unmarked so often in that left channel, which is as much down to Chelsea making room as Boro's lax defending. Again he gets forward here and drives a shot towards the bottom corner which goes wide of the post and is inches short of Costa's turning it home from close range.

SAVE! Cahill has scored a few already this season, but this would have been the pick of the bunch. The ball falls perfectly for the skipper and I doubt he has ever caught a shot quite so sweetly, but Guzan beats the long-range drive away.

CLOSE! Chelsea are really knocking on the door here and this one dribbles agonisingly wide of the far post. Fabregas collects the ball and volleys it towards goal, but it takes a big deflection off Chambers on the way through which sends it inches wide.

MIDDLESBROUGH SUBS: Agnew has seen enough of this one-way traffic and makes two changes, with Grant Leadbitter and former Chelsea man Patrick Bamford replacing Forshaw and Traore.

There has been a small improvement from Boro since those two changes, but I suspect it is only a brief respite for the visitors.

YELLOW CARD! Fabio becomes the first player in the book for a heavy challenge on Hazard, although it was the only thing he could do to stop the Belgian.

Chelsea have been excellent tonight, and that is without Hazard even being on the very top of his game. The Belgian has not had a poor match by any means, but he has been a little quieter than you would expect from such a dominant team performance.

It was only a matter of time, and Chelsea now have their third of the night - and it was a first ever Stamford Bridge goal for Matic. Fabregas chalks up another assist with an outside-of-the-boot pass to Matic, who chests it down inside the area before firing it past Guzan. All too easy for the hosts.

Fabregas, rather harshly, was not awarded the first assist due to a slight touch from Fabio just before it reached Costa, but that is now confirmation that he has 10 for the sixth time in a Premier League season.

SAVE! Middlesbrough have a shot, and Courtois finally has something to do! Leadbitter drives a low strike towards the bottom corner, but it is a simple one for the Chelsea keeper to get down to.

Costa is hurt here as he collides with Guzan when trying to hook the ball past the Boro keeper following a through-ball from Azpilicueta. Both players look like they will be fine to continue, though.

CHELSEA SUB: Chelsea make their first change of the evening as Hazard makes way to be replaced by Willian.

Just over 15 minutes remain before Middlesbrough's relegation is confirmed and, while it will of course be disappointing for the fans, it will not come as much of a surprise. It was always a big ask to get anything from this match - yet alone the win they needed - and sure enough they have been utterly outclassed.

I think Hazard may be the only outfield player not to have a shot for Chelsea this evening. Throughout their team they have peppered the Boro goal with shots.

CHANCE! Half a chance for Chelsea to add a fourth as Pedro is slid in down the left channel, only to blaze his first-time strike too high.

CHANCE! This has been a siege in this second half especially. Guzan seems to be alright if the shot is not going between his legs, though, and he makes a good shot to deny Moses's powerful strike here after the ball had fallen kindly for the wing-back.

CHELSEA SUB: Conte makes his second change of the evening as Pedro departs to be replaced by Nathaniel Chalobah.

MIDDLESBROUGH SUB: A third and final change for the visitors sees Rudy Gestede replace Negredo.

CHELSEA SUB: A cheer as big as any we have heard tonight greets the introduction of John Terry, who replaces Luiz.

Antonio Conte's name rings around Stamford Bridge, and he shows his appreciation by applauding all four sides of the stadium. What a debut season he has enjoyed in English football.

YELLOW CARD! Bamford goes into the book late on with a poor challenge on Alonso.

There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.

A miserable day for Middlesbrough is brought to an end as Chelsea condemn them to relegation from the Premier League with a dominant 3-0 win at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea move one win away from the Premier League title as a result, and victory over West Bromwich Albion on Friday night will now crown them as champions for the second time in three seasons. Goals from Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic either side of a Brad Guzan own goal did the job tonight, but it could have been a lot worse for Boro, who must now start to prepare for life in the Championship next season.

Confirmation that Middlesbrough have been relegated from the top flight below, with an unassailable seven-point gap to Swansea with only two games of the season remaining. They will join North-East neighbours Sunderland in the Championship next season, passing promoted Newcastle on the way down.

Chelsea fans will have been worried about Tottenham closing the gap to one point on Friday, but what a weekend it has been for them. They are now seven points clear and one win away from the Premier League title.

Right, that is all we have time for this evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole on a fateful day for Middlesbrough as they suffer relegation from the Premier League at the hands of Chelsea, who move to within one win of the title. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stick around for reaction from both camps. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!