Thomas Tuchel’s Champions League finalists will feel on top of the world and practically unbeatable right now (except for when they play West Bromwich Albion or Callum Robinson), their opponents this weekend, Manchester City, practically are. The Citizens are Chelsea opposition in the Champions League final, they could wrap up the title with victory at the Etihad and have already completed a fourth League Cup triumph in a row.
Tuchel’s Chelsea stopped them right in the heart of this rich run though. Hakim Ziyech’s strike at Wembley saw of Pep Guardiola’s quadruple chasing Manchester City and slashed hopes of a historic trophy parade.
Guardiola will know much better than to expect the possibly rotated Chelsea side to be weaker in mentality than the Real Madrid conquering heroes from Wednesday night. He will also be aware that should Chelsea win at the Etihad for the first time since December 2016, the Blues will take a giant leap towards securing Champions League football next season through the league table.
Manchester City Vs Chelsea: Form guide
Manchester City
Last five results: W-W-W-W-W
There’s no sugar coating this one. Manchester City are the best team in the world. On paper they line up with a team of superstars. In the dugout they have a manager with 30 major trophies who is an elite, game changing coach and tactician. Manchester City have match winners flowing throughout their starting XI and bench and with only the Champions League final left to prepare for, won’t be taking Chelsea lightly.
Since falling to 10th in the league 12 games in, it’s been a virtual procession from Manchester City. Their only two losses in the league since December 21st coming to Leeds United and Manchester United who stopped their record winning run.
They are also the only team to have kept more clean sheets than Chelsea this season. If there was any need to build this game up anymore, in the form table since Tuchel arrived in England, only Manchester City have more points than Chelsea.
Chelsea
Last five results: D-W-D-W-W
As for the 13-time Champions League tackling Chelsea, their form isn’t half bad either. Only dropping points to Brighton on the fateful Super League banishing night in their last five results, including a valuable away draw in Madrid.
Elsewhere, the form of Kai Havertz will have impressed Chelsea fans. The German registered two goals against Fulham last week, off the back of scoring against Crystal Palace two games earlier and alongside a vital assist against Madrid in midweek.
Chelsea’s stats since the German took over tell the whole story, no team has conceded less goals (with that number dropping to just three in 14 matches if the West Brom debacle hadn’t happened). Elsewhere, no team has kept more clean sheets than Chelsea’s 11, or had less shots on target faced.
It’s the defensive juggernaut that is leading the way, making this an extremely interesting matchup. Manchester City and the fluid, free flowing attacking missiles. Chelsea and their parked Lamborghini waiting to catch opponents on the prowl. These are the two form sides in the Premier League and the world, with a title and Europe’s elite crown to play for.
Manchester City Vs Chelsea: teams news and predicted line ups
Manchester City
The home side are blessed with a squad fit for challenging on all fronts. Their first-choice centre back pairing of Ruben Dias and John Stones have asserted themselves as the dream duo for all of Europe’s top sides, the option of Aymeric Laporte in rotation isn’t a bad one either.
There is a large chance that ex-Chelsea midfielder and arguably the league’s best player, Kevin De Bruyne, starts again against his former employers. Alongside the Belgian is likely to be the defensive acumen of Fernandinho or Rodri, with the former playing against PSG in the second leg so could be rotated for this fixture.
Elsewhere, Riyad Mahrez who is going through his best spell in a Manchester City shirt is expected to start alongside Raheem Sterling in attack. Sergio Aguero could come back to haunt Chelsea again as City look to keep fit ahead of their European showpiece on May 29th. The Argentine has 10 goals in his Manchester career against Chelsea, including two hat-tricks.
Manchester City will win the league, no matter what happens at the Etihad on Saturday. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t still a lot to play for. Guardiola is the king of making his teams play for every game and push to lift the levels for every game, City may rotate against Chelsea but it will still leave them with a strong enough team to do a job on any side in the world.
Manchester City predicted XI: (4-3-3) Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Laporte, Mendy, De Bruyne, Rordri, Gundogan, Mahrez, Jesus, Sterling
Chelsea
Tuchel warned that this could be a game for Chelsea’s own rotation. With four massive fixtures in the last three weeks and six cup finals still to come, perhaps playing Manchester City isn’t the worst time to have a look at the fringes of his squad.
There isn’t a good game to lose, but with Arsenal, Aston Villa and a potential final day thriller against Leicester still to come, this would be the one Chelsea might highlight as ‘losable’. With that, we could see the return of Reece James after his omission due to Cesar Azpilicueta’s experience being favoured in both Madrid ties. Billy Gilmour could also feature in back-to-back Premier League games after his impressive game against Fulham, earning one of Jorginho or N’Golo Kante some well earnt rest.
Mateo Kovacic is still out, with hopes that he can be fit to face Arsenal or play a role in his second FA Cup final for Chelsea. There is also a possibility that Kurt Zouma could come in and play at centre back as he picks up more valuable minutes.
In the forward line, there could be three changes with Callum Hudson-Odoi expected to start and Christian Pulisic a contender after his recent performances from the bench.
Chelsea predicted XI: (3-4-3) Mendy, James, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Zouma, Alonso, Gilmour, Kante, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham, Pulisic
Date: Saturday, 08 May 2021
Kick off time: 5:30 BST
Where: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Anthony Taylor
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Written and edited by Tom Coley (@tomcoley49)
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