Chelsea vs Manchester City: Match preview, predicted line-ups, team news and prediction
Chelsea vs Manchester City: Match preview, predicted line-ups, team news and prediction Chelsea welcome Manchester City to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League’s matchday 32 biggest match-up . Chelsea lost 3-0 at Everton last time out, while City were held to a 1-1 draw at relegation strugglers West Ham United. Match preview Chelsea’s hopes of Champions League qualification have received a boost, with a fifth-place finish now enough to secure qualification .
However, they could be four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool by before this clash, making victory crucial. Chelsea are enduring a poor run of form, picking up just five points from their last six games, the third fewest in the Premier League during that period. Their form against City is more concerning, winning one, drawing three and losing six of their last 10 meetings.
That said, the hosts have a chance of getting a positive result here. Chelsea need to isolate City’s full-backs to expose their defensive frailties. They must also be cautious while pressing to stay compact defensively.
City are riding high on confidence after winning the Carabao Cup and dumping Liverpool out of the FA Cup . They need to build on that momentum to keep their league title hopes alive. City’s form and recent record against Chelsea make them favourites for this clash.
City have collected 14 points from their last six fixtures — the same as leaders Arsenal. They are also unbeaten in their last four league away games. City will dominate possession and look to draw out Chelsea’s press, exploiting the space by playing between the lines and through their wingers’ trickery.