Date: Sunday 12th
November 2023
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 16:30 GMT
Well Monday night was a bit mad, wasn’t it?
Literally a game that had everything packed into
it, 5 goals, 5 more disallowed, 2 red cards and a 4-1 win away. Bonkers!
Unfortunately, we don’t get to play Sp*rs every week and today’s late game sees
us at home to the current Premier League champions, and they’re not the sort of
team that implodes.
City sit top of the table compared to our 10th
spot, have 27 points from 11 games so far, and whilst they’ve lost 3 of their
last 6 away in all competitions, we can’t find goals at home, so it’s no real
surprise our home form is woeful. We’ve had one win in 13 at Stamford Bridge
and obviously we haven’t beaten City since the Champions League final in 2021.
Still, Erling Haaland
has only managed 67 goals in 70 games for City, so it’s not like he’s going to trouble
Sanchez is it?!
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going
into today’s game, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino, says “For me [City] is the best team, the best coaching
staff, the best manager. We need to praise, we need to tell the truth, it is
the best or one of the best organisations in the world. When you show
the results it’s because you are doing things top to bottom really well. We
need to give credit to all of the organisation.
It’s going to be a challenge, we want to compete against them, I think
we are going to try and compete our best, and what we want is three points,
they are important for us.
Chelsea is never the feeling of the underdog. The feeling always is you
are Chelsea. When you say Chelsea it is impossible, the history is there. I
think we cannot go and say we are the victim on Sunday, we need to go and try
to be a protagonist. Monday going to Tottenham and finish the game 4-1 showed
we have character and talent to compete and fight with the best clubs in
England. Now it’s about bringing that confidence that will for sure will help
us to be more competitive.”
Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, says “They [Chelsea] are
getting better, new club, new players. Sooner than later, they’ll be a top
contender, the quality in all departments is there.
Again, any comment about Chelsea, I’m not there but always we remind
ourselves, last day we qualify it’s normal, celebrate. I said to the players to
celebrate because one day maybe we won’t be there. If we stop doing what we do
or the opponents are better than us, we won’t be there. What you did in the
past doesn’t mean you can’t go down, and the down is always there. If you are
aware of that you are closer to being consistent in Europe for many
years.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea,
Wesley Fofana (knee), Christopher Nkunku (knee), Romeo Lavia (ankle), Ben
Chilwell (Hamstring), Trevoh Chalobah (hamstring), and Carney Chukwuemeka
(knee) are all injured. Enzo Fernandez is a doubt, whilst Armando Broja (knee) is
available for selection.
For Manchester
City, John Stones, Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Gomez are injured but Manuel
Akanji (back) is fit.
TEAMS
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Sanchez; James, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Fernandez, Caicedo, Gallagher;
Palmer, Jackson, Sterling
MANCHESTER
CITY (Possible line-up): Ederson; Dias, Ake, Gvardiol; Walker, Rodri, Kovacic,
Doku; Silva, Alvarez; Haaland
LAST SEASON
Chelsea 0-1 Manchester
City (5th January 2023)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
CHELSEA: LWWDLW
MANCHESTER CITY: WLLWWW
OTHER STUFF
- Manchester City have won 1-0 in each of the past
four Premier League meetings.
- Chelsea have won three of their past five league games.
- Manchester City have 27 points after 11 league games.
- Chelsea have 8 home league defeats this calendar
year.
- Manchester City have lost three of their last six
away games in all competitions.
- Chelsea’s only win in the past 13 home league games
was 3-0 versus Luton in August.
- Chelsea have failed to score in nine of their 18
home league fixtures in 2023, including three of the last four.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Chelsea 0-2 Manchester City
