A 100 per cent record this season with four wins from four and a tally of 12 points, Chelsea are the in-form team at the moment.
A 100 per cent record this season with four wins from four and a tally of 12 points, Chelsea are the in-form team at the moment. The Jose Mourinho’s Blues have a five point lead ahead of fifth-placed City and will look to breach the Etihad stadium once again as they go head to head in a Sunday blockbuster.
Manuel Pelligrini’s Manchester City will be under the cosh to halt Chelsea’s perfect start to the Premier League season the latter having the likes of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas making an instant impact. Especially Costa, who has been banging in goals for fun and has already poked in 7 goals this season.
Cesc Fabregas has settled in perfectly, who already knows the life around the Premier League.
Chelsea’s winning start was halted in midweek by Schalke with a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Champions League but that won’t make a difference for Mourinho, who hails the record of doing the double over the Citizens last season.
Much of the focus could be on Frank Lampard, a former Chelsea icon who has moved over to Manchester City this summer. Lampard, who became a talismanic figure at Stamford Bridge before leaving in the close-season after 10 successful years, will be in contention for a starting berth.
On the other hand, Manchester City’s season have yet to hit the purple patch. A defeat against Stoke City at the Etihad was followed by a 2-2 draw against Arsenal, saw Manuel Pelligrini’s men fail to live up as reigning champions.
But City will have their talismanic midfielder Yaya Toure back at the Chelsea clash with the Ivorian missing out the last league game due to injury. Much of their attacking prowess will be relied on the Argentine hotshot, Sergio Aguero.
The former Atletico Madrid forward will be looking to outdo his counterpart in the Chelsea camp as Sunday eves up a riveting finale. City will need no extra warning of Chelsea’s threat. If City fails to turn against Chelsea, then that might sound detrimental in their EPL hopes and prove costly as well. Pelligrini might field an attacking side in order to thwart off the Chelsea surge with Samir Nasri, David Silva and Jesus Navas running on the flanks.
Even though both sides possess an attacking array of talent, the defence too remains of greater concern. Don’t expect a goal fest out here as 1-1 draw could be on the cards!
Manchester City team: Hart, Caballero, Zabaleta, Sagna, Kompany, Demichelis, Mangala, Boyata, Clichy, Kolarov, Silva, Nasri, Milner, Navas, Toure, Lampard, Fernandinho, Aguero, Dzeko.
Chelsea team: Courtois, Cech, Ivanovic, Luis, Fabregas, Zouma, Ake, Ramires, Oscar, Hazard, Drogba, Mikel, Schurrle, Salah, Remy, Costa, Matic, Willian, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Boga, Baker, Schwarzer.
