Man City vs Chelsea: Premier League Clash as Treble Winners Face Blues
In what promises to be a Premier League blockbuster, Manchester City will be hosting Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium. The match holds special significance for Cole Palmer, as his stoppage-time penalty in the previous encounter against Chelsea earned the Blues a point in an eight-goal thriller. Palmer will be hoping to end his former team’s incredible eleven-game winning streak.
Kick-off time: 5:30pm GMT
Live stream: NOW TV
TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League
The lineups for both teams have been announced. Manchester City’s starting XI consists of Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden, Alvarez, Doku, and Haaland. On the other hand, Chelsea’s lineup includes Petrovic, Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell, Caicedo, Fernandez, Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling, and Jackson.
Before the match begins, there is a sense of excitement and anticipation at the Etihad Stadium. The rain is lashing down above the stadium, but it has not dampened the spirits of the players or the fans. Cole Palmer, in particular, is experiencing an emotional return as he receives greetings from every member of the Manchester City squad and coaching staff.
Both teams are aware of the significance of this match. Liverpool and Arsenal have already secured big away wins earlier, putting pressure on Manchester City to showcase their title credentials. Chelsea, currently in the top half of the table, will be determined to stop City’s winning streak.
When it comes to previous encounters between these teams, Manchester City has had the upper hand. They have won six of their last eight Premier League home games against Chelsea, with five of those victories resulting in a clean sheet. In contrast, Chelsea has managed to keep just one clean sheet in their last 19 league clashes with City.
Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City boss, has spoken highly of Cole Palmer in the build-up to this match. However, he acknowledges that Chelsea’s threat goes beyond their former starlet. Guardiola mentions the smart movement and skill of other Chelsea players such as Gallagher, Sterling, and Jackson, emphasizing the overall strength of the team.
Kevin De Bruyne, who has recently returned from injury, has been in brilliant form for Manchester City. He has assisted a goal in all four of the team’s league games since his return, despite only starting two of them. De Bruyne could become the first player in a City shirt to assist a goal in five or more successive Premier League appearances.
Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer, both former Manchester City players, scored against their former club in the 4-4 draw earlier this season. However, no player has previously scored both home and away against Manchester City in the same season after leaving the club.
Both managers have made changes to their lineups. For Chelsea, Raheem Sterling replaces Noni Madueke, and Levi Colwill comes into defense due to Thiago Silva’s injury. Ben Chilwell will captain the team. Pep Guardiola has made three changes for Manchester City, with Jeremy Doku and Julian Alvarez replacing injured players Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva. John Stones is replaced by Manuel Akanji.
Mauricio Pochettino, the Chelsea boss, has faced Pep Guardiola multiple times in the past. While Pochettino has lost more matches against Guardiola than any other manager, he has also secured four wins against him with three different clubs. The only manager to have beaten Guardiola with four different clubs is Jose Mourinho.
The stage is set for an exciting match between two top teams in the Premier League. If there are at least two goals scored in this match, it will set a new record for the most goals scored in games between Manchester City and Chelsea in a single Premier League season.
According to bookmakers, Manchester City is the favorite to win this match, with odds of 3/10. A draw is priced at 9/2, while a Chelsea victory is set at 13/2.
As the title race heats up, it is now up to Manchester City to secure a victory and maintain their position at the top of the table. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter between two talented and determined teams.