Chelsea vs Manchester City: 3 Key Battles That Will Decide The Game

Chelsea vs Manchester City: 3 Key Battles

After a disappointing loss against Swansea City, Guus Hiddink’s side will be looking to bounce back in the league but, their hopes of doing the same can be cut short as they will be facing Manchester City, the side who recently got past PSG to reach their first ever Semi Finals of UEFA Champions League.

Chelsea are currently 10^th on the table and 3 points behind Stoke (9^th), whereas, Manchester City are on the 4^th position. Chelsea’s title European hopes are far from over but, this is an important game for City as they will be looking down to finish their last campaign under Pellegrini at 3^rd as they are just 2 points behind Arsenal.

Well, the last time these two sides met, City thrashed Mourinho’s side by 3 goals to nil and Jose Mourinho labelled the scoreline a “complete fake”. Chelsea are currently struggling due to injuries as their star defender’s return is still in doubt and also, Eden Hazard and Willian are also on the same page. So, the defence will have to cope with Manchester City’s high attacking style of play and will face a real competition.

This will be a fight of 2 heavyweights where every single player on the field will be looking to cancel the opponent’s move. Meanwhile, Let us look at 3 on-field battles that will be the key in the upcoming match.

1. Sergio Aguero vs Branislav Ivanović-

Sergio Aguero is having an another emphatic season in City’s outfit and is sharing the 3rd spot in Premier League Top Scorers list with the Belgian Romelu Lukaku. We all are aware of the problems Aguero can cause and, looking at the injured Chelsea defence, he will have an easy task to get through them. Branislav Ivanović, on the other hand, will be the most senior and experienced player on the field and will be given the task to manage Aguero’s drifting runs.

Branislav Ivanović this season has been accused of being too easy to get through but, he knows the importance of the game and he knows how to tackle in style. The Serbian has been deployed at various defensive positions this season but, looking at club’s problems at defence, he will surely be at the center back position. He can never match the pace of Aguero but can beat him in the air and also, will have to be very good in his positioning because De Bruyne will always be looking to find a hole in Chelsea’s defence. And as he might be having a young defender at this side, he will have to act as a leader.

2. Nicolas Otamendi vs Diego Costa-

This will be the most intense physical battle in the game as both of them are known for their in-game physical strength.

We are well aware of Diego Costa’s abilities. Diego is a good header of the ball and can be a threat in the air against Otamendi. Costa’s game is a joy to watch (when he is on the ball) and he is never afraid to take the shots  from range. Otamendi will have to make sure that Costa should not be allowed the room to take his shots. Otamendi, in recent weeks, has been a beast in defending, gave a great performance against PSG. Costa, on the other hand, will be returning on to the field after missing several matches due to suspension and will be looking to put a mark on the game as soon as possible.

3. John Obi Mikel vs Kevin De Bruyne-

De Bruyne has been a standout performer this City this season. We have seen how his side struggled in his absence and we have also witnessed his breathtaking performance against PSG and we know he can do in the football pitch.

Due to Matic’s poor form and injury problems, Mikel is starting regularly nowadays.  Mikel improved a lot lately but, he will have to give his best performance in his next game as he will be facing one of the best-attacking midfielders in the world.

De Bruyne has been worth every penny City paid Wolfsburg for the transfer. He has been one of the best-attacking midfielders in the premier league this season and marking him will not be an easy task. Mikel will have to keep all De Bruyne’s strengths in mind and will have to make sure that the Belgian star is not allowed to run free in the midfield. If Mikel keeps a firm hold on him, half of the City’s game will be in the controlled.