Chelsea
will have to do without star striker Diego Costa as they try to keep
Manchester City at bay in the
Saturday Night Football title tussle.
Jose Mourinho's side can stretch an already handy gap to eight points with
victory at Stamford Bridge but the 17-goal striker will have to watch from
the sidelines after being found guilty of stamping on Liverpool's Emre Can
earlier this week.
Mourinho, who has landed a £25,000 fine himself for remarks about an
apparent "campaign" against his side, has closed ranks ahead of the
hotly-anticpated clash, cancelling his usual Friday pre-match news
conference.
The last time his team played on their own patch, Bradford sprung an
almighty FA Cup shock, but the Blues have won all 10 home games in the
Premier League season and saw off Liverpool in midweek to reach the Capital
One Cup final.
Manchester City were dumped out of the FA Cup themselves last time out and
have dropped four points in top-flight fixtures in recent weeks. Manuel
Pellegrini has warned that his side must improve in defence and attack.
Wilfried Bony and Yaya Toure are otherwise engaged so Pellegrini - who has
got the better of Mourinho just twice in 12 attempts - may well hope the man
who scored a late equaliser at the Etihad, Frank Lampard, picks his time
again back at his old stomping ground.
Team news
The absence of Costa, who starts his three-match suspension for violent
conduct, is the headline but there are other big-name worries for Jose
Mourinho.
Cesc Fabregas (hamstring), Filipe Luis (calf) and Branislav Ivanovic (foot)
are doubts after picking up injuries in the victory over Liverpool.
Gary Cahill is expected to be a substitute once more, with Kurt Zouma
continuing in defence, while Andre Schurrle and Mohamed Salah are likely to
miss out as reports intensify of imminent moves for the out-of-favour pair.
Playmaker Samir Nasri could feature at Stamford Bridge after making good
progress in his recovery from a calf injury.
Defender Eliaquim Mangala will have a shoulder problem checked but Toure and
new signing Bony - away at the Africa Cup of Nations - are definite
absentees.
Opta stats
Chelsea have won four and lost just two of their last eight Premier League
games against Manchester City.
No team has beaten Manchester City more often in the Premier League than
Chelsea (22 victories - same as Arsenal).
Jose Mourinho has won seven and lost just two of the 11 meetings as a coach
with Manuel Pellegrini.
Branislav Ivanovic has assisted a goal in each of his last three Premier
League appearances.
The Blues have kept eight clean sheets in their last 11 Premier League
outings, including the last five in a row at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City have conceded 64% of their goals in the second half - the
highest proportion in the top flight.
Cesc Fabregas is the first player to provide 15 assists in two different
Premier League seasons (2007/08 and 2014/15).
Merson's prediction
I felt this one all depended on whether Diego Costa played or not. With him,
I didn't see anything bar a Chelsea win but now we know he'll be banned,
City definitely have more of a chance.
City have been struggling, though, and Yaya Toure and Wilfred Bony are still
at the Africa Cup of Nations - we don't know when they'll be back.
P
AUL PREDICTS: 1-1
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