Chelsea v. City A-Z Pt2  (Sky Sports)

In part two of our series, we look at six more reasons which set Chelsea and Man City apart from the pack...

G is for Goals

While Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero have been responsible for 33% and 31% of Chelsea and Manchester City's top-flight totals, both clubs possess strength in numbers in their attacking pursuits, with 12 players finding the net for Jose Mourinho's side and 10 for the champions.

Were Costa's goals taken out of the equation, Chelsea would have still out-scored 14 of their Premier League rivals, with a total of 34 strikes only two short of Manchester United, for whom no player has hit double figures so far. City, meanwhile, have scored 31 times on top of Aguero's tally, a number better than 12 other teams and the same as last year's runners-up, Liverpool.

This widespread contribution is a key factor in setting Chelsea and City apart from the rest. Eden Hazard's eight goals may be nine behind Costa's number, but are equal to Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney - the two top scorers at United - and three more than any Liverpool player. With Oscar scoring six strikes and a further six players claiming two or more, the Blues possess match-winners throughout the team, relieving the responsibility on Costa's shoulders.

It is a similar story at City, where Yaya Toure (seven goals) and David Silva (six) have supplemented Aguero's total. Silva in particular has proven he can provide the finishing touch when necessary, scoring four goals in three matches during Aguero's recent absence to keep the pressure on Chelsea. That the Spaniard played support to James Milner's 'false nine' over Christmas underlines the options available to Manuel Pellegrini.

H is for Hazard

Although Eden Hazard's somewhat mercurial talents are best appreciated in the flesh, the statistics go some way to explaining what he offers the league leaders. Eight goals and four assists in 22 matches are perhaps fairly modest totals for a player of his quality, but the timing of his strikes has often been crucial, with the Belgian scoring in seven of Chelsea's 16 victories and rescuing a point at Southampton.

A league-high - by some margin - 4.8 dribbles per game correlates with Hazard also being fouled the most on average (three times per match). Considering that Chelsea have scored more goals from set pieces (11) than any other team, this paints a picture of the indirect threat the 24-year-old affords through regularly winning free-kicks.

Hazard has also created more shooting chances per game (2.7) than David Silva, Angel Di Maria, Raheem Sterling, Christian Eriksen and Santi Cazorla so far, with Mourinho challenging him to carry Chelsea to their first title in five years.

"He needs to win titles because titles make players' history," he said. "I don't know players who are considered legends in clubs without winning titles, so he has to do that but the potential, I think, everybody knows."

I is for Injuries

After Sergio Aguero was ruled out with a knee injury in December, Jose Mourinho dismissed the idea that it presented Manuel Pellegrini with an excuse should City's title bid suffer as a result. "They have a magnificent squad, full of top players and end products — not young people,” he said. “If one doesn’t play, he plays another. They have a very good squad. I don’t see if one player is missing, they have a problem.”

Chelsea have been much more fortunate in this regard, however, with City's momentum hindered at various stages of the campaign by injuries to a number of key players. While Pellegrini hasn't suffered to the same extent as Louis van Gaal or Arsene Wenger, his problems in the physio room have certainly been more substantial than Mourinho's, whose only real nagging concern has been Diego Costa's hamstring strain in October.

In some ways it has benefited Chelsea to have consistency in their starting line-ups, particularly in the 21-game unbeaten run at the start of the season. The counter viewpoint is that the Blues could now begin to struggle, though, with those who played at last summer's World Cup expected to feel the strain over the next five months. It may be this factor that motivates Mourinho's reported interest in the versatile Juan Cuadrado, who can plug gaps across the first XI.

J is for Jose Mourinho

Following back-to-back title victories under Mourinho in 2005 and 2006, Chelsea have been crowned champions only once in the subsequent eight campaigns. That they finished just four points off the pace last season after trailing the leaders by 14 points in 2012/13 and 25 points in 2011/12 underlines Mourinho's immediate impact.

City should be worried by the omen that Mourinho has never failed to win the league in his second full season at any of the clubs he's managed. It took 24 months to topple Barcelona's La Liga dominance in 2011/12 - with Pep Guardiola's side victorious in each of the previous three seasons - while Internazionale became the first Italian club to win the Treble in the Portuguese's second year at the San Siro. He will demand nothing less than his record being maintained at Stamford Bridge.

"We want to do the process (of developing the team) but at the same time, we want to win," said Mourinho after replacing Rafa Benitez in 2013. "I am not the kind of person to accept peacefully the process by not winning. I don't think it's the best education or experience. We want to put on ourselves not massive pressure where you have to win; win or win, but we want to have the pressure of building but at the same time winning."

Mourinho's qualities are many and various, but it his meticulous planning, adaptability and leadership that are particularly important to Chelsea's planning. The manager has already tried to create a siege mentality on several occasions - such as his curious 'little horse' line last season - while his record in big games remains hugely impressive.

Since his return, Mourinho has guided Chelsea to 28 points in 12 matches against Manchester City, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool - with his team scoring 22 strikes and conceding just six, and denied only by late equalisers at Old Trafford and the Etihad this season. It is unparalleled success and poses a frightening test to City in Saturday's clash.

K is for Keepers

While Joe Hart has risen to the challenge of Willy Caballero this season, the England number one has still been guilty of committing two errors leading to goals in the Premier League. Those mistakes are tempered to an extent by the 27-year-old being the only keeper to save 100% of the shots he has faced from outside the penalty area, with City moving to renew Hart's contract in December.

Despite Hart largely putting his previous error-prone performances behind him, he is still behind Thibaut Courtois in terms of consistency. The 22-year-old Belgian has been superb since his return from Atletico Madrid - where he won La Liga, the Europa League and the Copa del Rey - and is the only top-flight keeper to refrain from making a single error leading to a shot or goal. By contrast, Wojciech Szczesny's six mistakes have seen Arsenal concede on three occasions, lending further weight to Arsene Wenger's decision to replace him with David Ospina.

David De Gea runs Courtois close for quality between the sticks, but Chelsea boast the best shot-stopper in the division at the moment.

L is for Lampard

Following the end of his 13-year love affair with Chelsea, Frank Lampard has been an essential part of Manchester City's title challenge after pitching up at the champions via New York City FC. Despite being deemed replaceable by Jose Mourinho in the summer, the 36-year-old's performances have prompted City to extend his deal until the end of the campaign, much to the irritation of NYC FC supporters.

Lampard has moved to appease fans of his new club, but few would deny him the chance of a last hurrah in the Premier League. After becoming Chelsea's all-time top scorer in 2013, the former England international has maintained his knack for grabbing crucial goals with two match-winning strikes against Leicester and Sunderland as well as the equaliser against the Blues on his debut.

"I understand perfectly (the feelings) of the New York fans. They want to see Frank playing because to see Frank play is an amazing thing," said Pellegrini in January. "I hope that he will be there next year but I think that in this moment the best decision for him, for the club, for New York, is to stay here with us. He has been a top player throughout his career and is a very important player for us."

That will no doubt continue until the end of the campaign as Lampard strives to add a fourth Premier League winner's medal to his already impressive trophy haul.