Manchester City vs Chelsea – Match preview and team news
Manchester City host Chelsea in what is to be the first direct encounter between Guardiola and Conte.
Manchester City and Chelsea will lock horns in the first game of the Premier League’s 14th round in what is generally an exciting football day with El Classico scheduled right after their duel.
After a slight drop in the form, the Citizens are back on track with two consecutive wins, although that victories came harder that expected. Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero each netted a brace for two 2-1 victories that left Manchester City in the race for the title.
Unlike the team that featured against Burnley, Spanish tactician will probably decide to bring Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and John Stones back in the lineup, especially since the Citizens haven’t had any obligations during the midweek.
Chelsea definitely claimed their title credentials in the last round as they bounced back against Tottenham even though they weren’t looking good most of the first half. Christian Eriksen opened the scoring already in the 11th minute and broke Chelsea’s six clean sheets streak.
During the whole first half the Spurs were closer to a second goal than Chelsea were to scoring an equalizer, but football is unpredictable game and Pedro scored a screamer just before the break and leveled the result.
Pochettino’s men didn’t even recover from that strike when Moses netted for 2-1 and it seemed like that shock was too much for the Spurs as they didn’t threaten Curtois until the end of the game.
Key Battle
Despite both teams will have several superstars on the field with Costa and Hazard on one, and Aguero, de Bruyne and Silva on the other side, battle that will decide this match is the one between two best managers in the league and probably in the world, Pep Guardiola and Antonio Conte.
Manchester City have won their last two Premier League meetings with Chelsea, while Chelsea have collected just two points from their last four league games against City (D2 L2), which is their current longest winless streak against them in the competition’s history.
Manchester City and Chelsea will lock horns in the first game of the Premier League’s 14th round in what is generally an exciting football day with El Classico scheduled right after their duel.
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After a slight drop in the form, the Citizens are back on track with two consecutive wins, although that victories came harder that expected. Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero each netted a brace for two 2-1 victories that left Manchester City in the race for the title.
Unlike the team that featured against Burnley, Spanish tactician will probably decide to bring Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and John Stones back in the lineup, especially since the Citizens haven’t had any obligations during the midweek.
Chelsea definitely claimed their title credentials in the last round as they bounced back against Tottenham even though they weren’t looking good most of the first half. Christian Eriksen opened the scoring already in the 11th minute and broke Chelsea’s six clean sheets streak.
During the whole first half the Spurs were closer to a second goal than Chelsea were to scoring an equalizer, but football is unpredictable game and Pedro scored a screamer just before the break and leveled the result.
Pochettino’s men didn’t even recover from that strike when Moses netted for 2-1 and it seemed like that shock was too much for the Spurs as they didn’t threaten Curtois until the end of the game.
Match Facts
Pep Guardiola could become just the second Manchester City manager in the Premier League era to win his first meeting with Chelsea, following Roberto Mancini in 2009/10 (the Italian is the only one among Man City’s previous 10 managers in the competition to have done so).
Sergio Aguero has scored four times in his last two Premier League games against Chelsea, including a hat-trick in his last league meeting against the Blues.
Antonio Conte is the first Chelsea manager to win seven consecutive Premier League games within a single season since Jose Mourinho (nine wins in 2006/07).
Premier League players wearing the number 10 shirt have been responsible for the most goals this season (58); with Sergio Aguero (10 goals) and Eden Hazard (7) contributing 29% of that total.
Manchester City have kept just two clean sheets in their 13 Premier League games under Pep Guardiola; only three sides have kept fewer shutouts so far this term.
Team News manchester-city
Vincent Company is definitely out, while Raheem Sterling is doubtful as he picked up injury against Burnley and had to be replaced.
Team News Chelsea
On the other side, Conte is only without long-term absentees like John Terry and Kurt Zouma so he basically has fully fit squad at his disposal.
On the other side, Conte is only without long-term absentees like John Terry and Kurt Zouma so he basically has fully fit squad at his disposal.
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