Chelsea put themselves to the ultimate test with a head-to-head clash against European champions Manchester City for their first season meeting.
West London heavyweights Chelsea must find a way past the best team in England, Manchester City, in a Premier League game that could bear ramifications at the top of the table.
Pep Guardiola’s side won all four games against Chelsea last season without conceding a goal. Notably, the only side to beat the Blues four times in a single campaign before was Manchester United in 2010/11.
Both Premier League fixtures ended 1-0, and Riyad Mahrez was the match-winner in the second half when they last met at Stamford Bridge.
They played each other three days later at the Etihad in the FA Cup, and Man City spanked their counterparts 4-0 in the 3rd Round. That apparent domination of this fixture in recent times is favourable for Man City, who will look to continue that good fortune against the Blues.
The Mauricio Pochettino era kicked off with an exciting draw at home to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, but all their good work came crashing down the following week in a 3-1 defeat to West Ham.
Although they finally beat Luton, Chelsea was poor against Nottingham Forest, who made it away with a 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge, while the former were left to rue several missed chances.
The Pensioners also failed to beat Bournemouth and Aston Villa but finally got the better of Brighton (EFL Cup), Fulham and Burnley.
That upturn in form has filled them with confidence and changed the mood around Stamford Bridge as they look to rise up the league standings. Hence, a good performance against the reigning champions will go a long way in restoring that belief.
Pochettino is known for his high-pressing style, which should mean an open game as the Blues attempt to win the ball and quickly advance into goalscoring areas. The Argentine served several Premier League classics against City as Tottenham Hotspur’s manager and handed Guardiola his first-ever defeat in the English top flight.
They could even look forward to an unlikely upset.
The above is easier said than done, considering City are third on the league standings and have been their usual dominant selves this campaign. The Premier League winners made a stroming start to the season as Burnley, Newcastle, Sheffield United and Fulham were beaten in their first four matches.
The first international break did not slow them down. They returned with a bang against West Ham United, beating them 3-1 and then seeing off Nottingham Forest 2-0 despite losing influential midfielder Rodri to a red card.
A midweek cup defeat to Newcastle was seen as a blip, but it manifested into something more significant when Man City lost 2-1 at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Then, the top-of-the-table clash against Arsenal was decided by Gabriel Martinelli’s deflected shot at the Emirates Stadium.
Those setbacks will have hurt the Cityzens, but they can never be ruled out of a title race as they can go on a long winning streak. Nevertheless, recent opponents have created a blueprint for stopping City this season, which Chelsea will try to emulate.
Man City are expected to challenge on all fronts, given the incredible amount of quality in their squad, and they must dig deep to overcome motivated opponents. On their day, they should exploit Chelsea’s weaknesses and leave London with maximum points.
Match tickets
The game will be played at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, 12 November, with kick-off set for 5:30 PM UK time. Tickets have been made available on each club’s website, but they are expected to be sold out given the occasion for Chelsea, who are desperate to develop their band of young stars.
This is undoubtedly a big game for the hosts, while Man City will be wary of any upsets; hence, both clubs have high stakes. It promises a pulsating encounter, and Chelsea vs Manchester City tickets will be hard to find for supporters who are not season-tickets holders, but others may be lucky enough to purchase their entry into the stadium via a ticket resale site.
Team news
Chelsea has struggled to keep players fit right from the start of the campaign as the likes of Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Marcus Bettinelli, Ben Chilwell, Trevoh Chalobah and Carney Chukwuemeka have been out injured.
On a positive note, they have recently called upon Armando Broja with Reece James and Benoit Badiashile close to returns and may possibly be involved against City.
After a period impacted by injuries to key players, Man City recovered some players over the October international break. Still, Zack Steffen and Kevin De Bruyne are the only long-term absentees.
Line-ups
Raheem Sterling has been in decent form so far for Chelsea, and he will once again look to provide inspiration in attack, being the most experienced forward. He could be joined on the opposite flank by ex-City man Cole Palmer, who has enjoyed a bright start to life in royal blue.
Malo Gusto is an essential addition from last season, as his capable presence has been helpful during Reece James’ injury woes. He should get a start, depending on the captain’s fitness status.
Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Disasi, Silva, Colwill; Fernandez, Caicedo; Palmer, Gallagher, Sterling; Jackson
Mateo Kovacic might get a start at his old stomping ground, where he spent five seasons before moving to Manchester. He will be tasked with controlling the game alongside Rodri in the midfield area as City seek to overwhelm their hosts.
Erling Haaland is yet to score against Chelsea for City, and he will be eyeing his first goal at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Akanji, Ake; Rodri, Kovacic; Bernardo; Alvarez, Doku; Haaland.
Prediction
Man City have beaten Chelsea six times without conceding a single goal since that 1-0 defeat in the 2021 UEFA Champions League final, and the Blues will be keen to avoid a record seven consecutive losses against the same team.
Therefore, City are clear favourites, and they must punish any naivety shown by Pochettino’s men in that game. An exciting clash awaits.
Chelsea 1-2 Manchester City