Manchester City and Chelsea are set to clash at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday in a match that could see Man City crowned champions of the Premier League for a third consecutive season. The West Londoners will be seeking revenge against their rivals, having lost three times already this campaign, including a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge in January.
Man City are on the cusp of winning three trophies this season after securing their spot in the Champions League final with a dominant 4-0 win against holders Real Madrid on Wednesday. The club is set to face Inter Milan in Istanbul on June 10, but their primary focus for now is on securing a victory against Chelsea this weekend, which will keep the Premier League trophy in their grasp.
The Citizens are enjoying a winning streak, having claimed all three points in their last 11 Premier League games. Their home form is particularly impressive, having won all 16 matches at the Etihad since the turn of the year, scoring 56 goals and conceding only seven in the process. A similar performance against Chelsea could ensure a successful title defense and final home game of the season, before shifting focus to hunting down two more pieces of silverware next month.
Chelsea, on the other hand, appears to be heading for their first bottom-half finish in the Premier League since 1995-96. After a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest last weekend, the team is sitting at 11th place in the Premier League table with no chance of moving up. The team has failed to win any of their last 14 Premier League games against teams starting the day above them in the table, while they have lost six of their last seven visits to the Etihad.
Despite their poor form, Chelsea could still present a challenge to Man City. Frank Lampard is one of only two Premier League managers to prevent the Citizens from winning on home soil this season, after his former club Everton claimed a point in a 1-1 draw on New Year’s Eve. A resilient performance from Chelsea could delay the Citizens’ title celebrations and give them a chance at a positive result.
Man City‘s only injury concern is former Chelsea defender Nathan Ake who is a doubt for Sunday’s match. With three Premier League games in eight days to prepare for, Pep Guardiola is expected to make a few alterations to his starting lineup. Aymeric Laporte could come into defense, and Mahrez could replace Bernardo Silva on the right flank. Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne are both expected to start in advanced roles.
Chelsea, on the other hand, will be without Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Mason Mount, N’Golo Kante, Armando Broja, and possibly Kalidou Koulibaly and Mateo Kovacic. Lampard may also consider switching to a back-three and putting Wesley Fofana in central defense alongside Thiago Silva and Benoit Badiashile.
It’s expected that Man City will secure a comfortable victory over Chelsea, as even if Guardiola decides to rotate his side, the Citizens have the strength in depth to dispatch the West Londoners. Man City has won their final home league fixture in eight of the last nine seasons, and with a victory, they could continue their dominance in the Premier League.
