Chelsea and Manchester City are set to face off at Stamford Bridge in a heavyweight Premier League match-up, and it’s time to preview the game and take a look at the expected lineups. Both sides have been impressive in recent rounds, especially the hosts, who look like genuine title candidates for the first time in several years.
Seeking their fourth Premier League title in five years and second in a row, Man City can ill-afford another slip-up following a bit topsy-turvy start to the season. Meanwhile, a victory here would send a message to other title bidders that Chelsea mean business this season.
Chelsea vs Manchester City Head-to-Head
None of the last 12 Premier League meetings between Chelsea and Manchester City have ended as a draw, with the Londoners winning five to City’s seven. Interestingly, both last season’s top-flight duels saw the traveling side pick up the three points despite the reigning English champions winning the first half ‘to nil’ on each occasion.
The Citizens have registered three victories across their last six Premier League visits to Stamford Bridge (L3), more successes than they managed in their previous 23 top-flight H2Hs in the capital (W2, D8, L13). That’s the kind of statistic Pep Guardiola will be hoping to dwell on ahead of this meeting, as he faces the risk of losing four consecutive matches against single opposition for the first time in his managerial career.
Indeed, since taking charge of Chelsea in January, Thomas Tuchel has outplayed his City counterpart in all three H2Hs in all competitions, including a 1-0 win in last season’s UEFA Champions League grand final. Yet, each of those three victories yielded a single-goal margin, indicating every detail could prove decisive in this mouth-watering showdown.
Chelsea Form Preview
Chelsea have picked up steam from the opening weekend, winning all but one of their five Premier League fixtures this term to keep pace with Liverpool and Manchester United. Except for a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield on Matchday 3, the Blues have won their remaining four league matches this season by over 1.5 goals ‘to nil.’
Tuchel has based his side’s vast domestic and continental success on a rock-solid backline that has registered 15 clean sheets in 24 Premier League outings under his stewardship. No other Premier League strategist has managed that feat in that period. But don’t let Chelsea’s outrageous defending drift your attention away from their devastating firepower up top.
Chelsea have won both Premier League home games this term by an identical 3-0 scoreline, breaking the deadlock within the opening 30 minutes of play on each occasion. The Blues last scored 3+ goals in three consecutive top-flight outings at Stamford Bridge in December 2020, do so four times in a row that time.
Ten different goalscorers have netted for Chelsea in the Premier League this season, with the unplayable forward Romelu Lukaku leading the charge with three strikes. The ex-Inter marksman has scored in both competitive starts at Stamford Bridge this season as he aims for his first-ever Premier League Golden Boot award in his second stint in England’s top-flight.
Manchester City Form Preview
Manchester City have claimed three points less than their hosts so far this season, and they will be looking to bridge the gap on Saturday. Following an underwhelming 1-0 loss to Tottenham on the opening matchday of the season, Guardiola’s side won three consecutive league games by an aggregate score of 11-0.
However, a dismal scoreless draw with Southampton at the Etihad last time out curtailed City’s momentum, casting doubt on their conversion ratio. The Citizens have now failed to score twice in their inaugural five Premier League matches this season, as many blanks as they had in their previous 30 in the competition.
All competitions included, Man City’s three matches away from the Etihad this season have all featured the identical 1-0 scoreline (W1, L2), accompanied by a goalless HT. But same as his Chelsea counterpart, Guardiola can always rely on his water-tight defensive unit to dig him out of trouble. City’s tally of a single goal conceded across their first five Premier League matches is the division’s joint-best.
Guardiola will entrust the illustrious playmaker Kevin De Bruyne with unlocking Chelsea’s unpenetrable backline. Despite his fitness problems at the beginning of the season, the Belgian wizard should make his first Premier League start this term. The 30-year-old has found the net in each of his last three top-flight appearances against his former employers.
Chelsea vs Manchester City Predicted Lineups
Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Kepa Arrizabalaga; Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger; Cesar Azpilicueta, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Marcos Alonso; Mason Mount, Kai Havertz; Romelu Lukaku.
Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson; Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Joao Cancelo; Kevin De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Bernardo Silva; Gabriel Jesus, Ferran Torres, Jack Grealish.