Prediction: Chelsea vs Manchester City

Verdict: Both teams to score – yes

Best Odds: 4/7

Bookmaker: Bet365

Chelsea’s unexpected home defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace has put an unexpected twist on the Premier League season and with Antonio Conte’s Blues welcoming Manchester City we are in for a clash that could blow the title race wide open.

Chelsea

The Blues saw their 12-match unbeaten run come to its end on Saturday when Crystal palace inflicted a heavy 2-1 slap in the face of Antonio Conte’s men. Cesk Fabregas gave Chelsea an early lead, but the hosts have seen Crystal Palace turn the result on its head six minutes later with two quick goals from Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke. The unexpected defeat leaves Chelsea seven points clear of Totenham Hotspur, but with motivated Manchester City coming to town Antonio Conte’s men are under pressure to deliver and preserve their lead at the top. Antonio Conte will urge his men to get back to winning ways and to replicate the form which saw them lose only one of their 22 matches, while winning 19 of those games. Chelsea have been displaying the kind of ruthlessness unseen at Stamford Bridge since Mourinho’s prime years. Unencumbered by European football, quality-packed Chelsea have been pushing themselves further away from the leading pack leaving all of the top four contenders trailing in their wake. Still, only one bar result against Crystal Palace could go on to mess with the plans and Chelsea need to be top of their game against Manchester City.

Team News

Victor Moses will be given a late fitness test as an assessment to his calf injury which kept him out of contention for the Saturday’s defeat.

Antonio Conte has no other selection worries ahead of the crunch meeting with the Citizens.

Manchester City

With nine games left to be played in the Premier League season, Manchester City are looking at one of the last opportunities to re-enter the title race and the chase. Pep Guardiola’s men find themselves sitting in fourth spot, 11 points adrift of the Blues, unwilling to go down without a fight. Unbeaten in the Premier League since mid-January and the 4-0 embarrassment at the hands of Everton, the Citizens have been going from strength to strength, losing only one of their 14 matches in all competitions. The 3-1 defeat in Monaco ended up smothering their European hopes by eliminating Pep Guardiola from the Champions League at the earliest stage in his career. The Monaco defeat was followed by back-to-back high-profile draws against Liverpool and at Arsenal, respectively. Potential win at the Stamford Bridge would be a huge morale-boost and there is no doubt that the Citizens will give everything they have to win. Manchester City will also be highly motivated to exert revenge for the 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture back in December, when Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho both saw red, while Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Willian got on the scoresheet for the Blues.

Team News

Pablo Zabaleta is poised to return to right-back where Jesus Navas deputized at the Emirates against Arsenal.

Bacary Sagna is a doubt again with his groin strain, whereas Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus remain the long-term absentees.

Key Factors to Consider

• Crystal Palace ended Chelsea’s 12-match unbeaten run
• Man City are unbeaten in the Premier League in last eight matches
• The Citizens won 6 of last 10 games on the road, losing only 2
• The Blues won 17 of their last 20 home matches in all competitions
• Chelsea are 11 points ahead of Man City at the top of the table

Conclusion

Antonio Conte will demand a swift response from his men after the frustrating home defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace, but Manchester City are the force to be reckoned with and could end up adding fuel to Chelsea’s fire. Pep Guardiola’s men were unfortunate to lose the reverse fixture in the first part of the season and are expected to push Chelsea to their limits.

Verdict: Both teams to score – yes

Best Odds: 4/7

Bookmaker: Bet365