Predicted Manchester City lineup to face Chelsea in the Premier League
Manchester City are nearly there. Pep Guardiola’s side are just one game away from sealing the title as they boast a 13-point lead at the top of the table already. Their next opponents are the in-form Chelsea.
This Premier League encounter, scheduled to take place on the 8th of May, has now become a trailer for the cinematic piece that will take place in Istanbul a few weeks from now.
Both sides have made the UEFA Champions League final but it is the Blues who have more to fight for in the league considering they are still in a top 4 race and wouldn’t want to risk UCL qualification next season.
Team News
Guardiola is blessed with a largely fit Manchester City side going into the game against Chelsea. He will have the luxury to be able to rest some of his best players with the UCL final in mind.
But it is highly unlikely that he will start doing it from this weekend itself. John Stones is still serving a suspension for his red card against Aston Villa and Eric Garcia is a major doubt due to illness. Apart from that, City are are good to go.
Probable Manchester City XI vs Chelsa
Formation: 4-3-3
Ederson (GK)
Ederson is a constant in the City defence and he will be looking to finish the season strongly against the Blues.
Kyle Walker (RB)
Walker started against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of City’s UCL semi-final and is expected to retain his place against the Blues.
Aymeric Laporte (CB)
Just like last week, Laporte sat out vs PSG as John Stones started but will play against Thomas Tuchel’s side considering Stones’ red-card suspension.
Ruben Dias (CB)
Ruben Dias was immense against PSG and he has slowly become an irreplaceable part of City’s backline.
Benjamin Mendy (LB)
Mendy hasn’t had a lot of Premier League game time and Pep would want to rest Oleksandr Zinchenko after the PSG win.
Fernandinho (DM)
He will be a great inclusion in the side without compromising too much on the defensive sturdiness and possession-play offered by Rodri.
Ilkay Gundogan (CM)
The German is having a gem of a season and would look to retain his place in the City starting XI.
Bernardo Silva (CM)
Silva started in an attacking role against PSG but should return to a three-man midfield against Chelsea in the league.
Raheem Sterling (LW)
It seems like Phil Foden will be rested as Guardiola might not want to overwork the youngster. This means Sterling would get some much-needed game time.
Sergio Aguero (ST)
This is Aguero’s last season at City and Guardiola would surely want his star striker to beat Wayne Rooney’s record of most goals for one club, which he currently trails by one goal.
Ferran Torres (RW)
Just like we predicted last week, Ferran Torres will surely start on the right-hand side as a way of Pep giving rest to some of his starters.
Manchester City vs Chelsea Prediction
With Chelsea having more to fight for and likelier to field a stronger side, we see a 1-0 win for Thomas Tuchel’s side which has become so good defensively recently.
