Date: Saturday 17th
February 2024
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Kick-off: 17:30 GMT
Today’s late game sees us travel to Manchester to face the current
Premier League Champions.
Manchester City, who were 2 points off
top with a game in hand at the start of the day, have
won each of their last 11 matches across all tournaments and haven’t
lost at the Etihad in their last 22 Premier League games. They come into
today’s game off the back of a 3-1 away win against Copenhagen in the Champions
League.
Our recent wins away to
Villa and Palace shouldn’t fool anyone into thinking we’ve turned a corner. As
good as we were against Villa, we were equally poor in the first half against Palace
on Monday night. We found something in the tank to pull off the win and we have
to take them however they come now but I don’t see a win today. Our last
meeting was a bit of a surprise, with Palmer scoring in stoppage time against
his former club to finish 4-4 but I don’t think we’ll fend them off in this
one. City are about due to give someone a battering and we are likely to be the
whipping boys.
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going into today’s game, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, is
up to his usual kidology, saying “[Chelsea]
playing really, really good last few games. They have everything: intense,
quality, able to not lose the ball. They are a really good team, tough one
tomorrow.”
Chelsea
manager Mauricio Pochettino, meanwhile, says “I think the lesson is
that we are going to face a very, very good team. They are one of the best in
the world. But at the same time, you need to be brave and try to force them to
defend, to run back, and to their own goal. If we go there and wait to see what
is going to happen, they are a team that can dominate and make you suffer. The
most important thing is we realise the need to attack. After this, we need to
be able to run and work together. There are some tactical questions we need to
be aware of, but the most important thing is to be brave and challenge them.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Manchester City, Jack Grealish and Josko Gvardiol (ankle) are out and Bernardo Silva faces
a late assessment. Mateo Kovacic and Sergio Gomez are both expected to be
available.
For Chelsea, Wesley Fofana (knee), Marc Cucurella
(ankle), Lesley Ugochukwu (hamstring), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Benoit Badiashile
(groin) and Reece James (hamstring) all remain out. Thiago Silva (groin) and Carney Chukwuemeka (ankle) also miss out,
whilst Robert Sanchez is available again.
TEAMS
MANCHESTER CITY(Possible line-up): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake; Stones, Rodri; Bernardo, De Bruyne, Alvarez,
Foden; Haaland
CHELSEA (Possible line-up): Sanchez; Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell; Fernandez, Caicedo; Palmer,
Gallagher, Jackson; Nkunku
LAST SEASON
Manchester City 1-0 Chelsea
(21st May 2023)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
MANCHESTER CITY: WWWWWW
CHELSEA: WWWLLW
OTHER STUFF
- Chelsea are winless in seven league and cup games
against Manchester City.
- November’s 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge ended a run
of six consecutive City wins in this fixture.
- City are vying for a 12th consecutive win in all
competitions and a seventh successive league win.
- City are unbeaten in 22 home league games.
- Chelsea have won six and lost six of their 12
top-flight games since drawing 4-4 with City in November.
- November’s win at Sp*rs is their only away league win
this season against a side currently above them in the table.
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea
