Prediction: Manchester City vs Chelsea



Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 3/5

Bookmaker: William Hill

Manchester City and Chelsea are seen by many as the most likely candidates for the 2016/2017 Premier League trophy and with just one point separating the two sides at the moment, there will be a lot at stake when they square off at Etihad Stadium in lunch-time kick-off on Saturday.

Manchester City

Manchester City nominated themselves as the favourites for the coveted title with some impressive showings in the opening exchanges, but Pep Guardiola’s charges have since experienced plenty of problems. Injuries to key players took the wind out of team’s sails, and when we throw hectic schedule into the equation, it is not that difficult to understand why Man City were below par in some matches, but they have since recovered well from a six-match winless run. The Citizens secured their progress to the Champions League knockout stages, while slipping to third in the Premier League, but the good news is they are just one point behind leaders Chelsea. In all fairness, Pep Guardiola’s side are still struggling for form, but even narrow wins over Crystal Palace and Burnley proved enough to pick up the players’ spirits. Shaky back line is a major cause for concern now that Man City conceded in 13 of last 14 fixtures, and they could face all sorts of problems against red-hot Chelsea on Saturday. This means that the visitors have no choice but to focus on the attacking phase and attempt to outscore the opposition, which may not be such a tall order now that Yaya Toure is back to the side and Sergio Aguero has found his scoring boots.

Team News

Pep Guardiola was able to rest several starters in the 2-1 triumph over Burnley, with Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Pablo Zabaleta expected to return.

Captain Vincent Kompany has picked up a knee injury and is unlikely to play again in 2016, with Fabian Delph also sidelined.



Chelsea

We always expected Antonio Conte to sort things out at Stamford Bridge after a disappointing campaign under Jose Mourinho, but not even the most optimistic fans could have predicted such an impressive run of results. Several poor results in September proved a blessing in disguise as it persuaded the Italian manager to switch to a 3-4-3 formation, that has worked like a charm since. While the second-string side were beaten by West Ham in the EFL Cup, Chelsea have now won seven straight matches in English Premier League, climbing to the top of the standings in the process. The Blues not only scored 19 goals during said run, but conceded just once, and there are no doubts that they head into the Manchester City game in much better spirits than the opposition. Having said that, the Chelsea back line will have their work cut out for them against the likes of Aguero, De Bruyne and Sterling, and we have reason to believe they will concede at least once at Etihad Stadium. The Blues have conceded no fewer than seven goals in last three meeting with Manchester City, suffering a 3-0 loss in their last clash at Stamford Bridge.

Team News

With his side performing at the highest level of late, manager Antonio Conte is unlikely to make any changes to his starting line-up.

Captain John Terry continues to miss out through a back problem, while Kurt Zouma is stepping up his recovery, but he is unlikely to play a part.

Key Factors to Consider

• Man City won two of last three meetings with Chelsea (L1)
• Both teams scored in two of those three matches
• Chelsea have won seven successive Premier League fixtures
• Both teams scored in Man City’s last five games
• Man City are unbeaten in last 14 home matches (W9 D5)

Conclusion

Even if there will be plenty at stake when two of the most serious title candidates square off at Stamford Bridge, we expect to see a highly entertaining game. While Chelsea will attempt to extend the brilliant run, Pep Guardiola will want to prove that he can take Man City all the way, so both teams to score looks a good option here.

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 3/5

Bookmaker: William Hill