Victor
Moses remains sidelined for Chelsea as they look to avoid back-to-back home
defeats when they host Man City in the Premier League on Wednesday.
The wing-back is suffering with a toe injury and missed the weekend's shock
defeat to Crystal Palace, with the Blues looking to get back to winning ways
at Stamford Bridge.
They haven't lost consecutive Premier League matches at their home ground
since November 2011, when Andre Villas Boas was in charge, while current
boss Antonio Conte has not lost successive club league games since he was
manager of Atalanta in November 2009.
Man City will also be chasing three points after draws in their last two
top-flight outings against Liverpool and Arsenal with the Reds leapfrogging
them into third place over the weekend.
Pep Guardiola's men are 11 points behind their midweek opponents but do have
a five-point cushion between themselves and fifth-place side Manchester
United heading into Wednesday's game.
Team news
Moses is one of "two or three situations" to be monitored before the Man
City match, according to Blues boss Conte.
Eden Hazard played against Crystal Palace following a calf injury which saw
him miss international duty with Belgium, while David Luiz is still managing
a knee injury sustained against Man City in December.
Bacary Sagna remains sidelined for Guardiola with an abductor injury and
could be out for another few weeks, but Pablo Zabaleta is set to make a
return this week after Jesus Navas replaced him at right-back during
Sunday's draw with Arsenal.
Gabriel Jesus could also make a comeback before the end of the season after
he fractured his metatarsal as he rejoined team training on Monday.
Opta stats
Chelsea haven't lost back-to-back home league games vs the Citizens since
December 1983.
Pep Guardiola has never previously lost both league games against a single
opponent in a season as a manager in his career so far.
After winning eight Premier League games in a row against Manchester City
between 2005 and 2009, the Blues have won just five of their last 15 against
them in the top-flight (D3 L7).
There have been four red cards in the last five league meetings between
these sides, with three being shown to Man City players.
Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick in this exact fixture last season as City
won 3-0 - one of just three opposing players to hit a treble in a Premier
League game at Stamford Bridge (Kanu in October 1999 and Robin van Persie in
October 2011).
Aguero has scored six Premier League goals against Chelsea, with four of
those coming at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City have lost just one of their last six Premier League games in
London (W3 D2).
Kevin De Bruyne has now assisted 13 goals this season for Man City in all
competitions, one more than he managed last season.
Merson's prediction
I just don't see how Man City are going to contain Chelsea. They're all over
the place at the back at the moment. I think Chelsea will bounce back here.
Which Man City are we going to get? The great Man City from the first 15
minutes against Arsenal, where they ripped them to shreds?
I think there is still a title race, because I've got Tottenham to win, and
then I fancy them to win again early Saturday against Watford, so that would
be four points.
I think the gap will close over the next three or four weeks, but Chelsea to
win here.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (16/1 with Sky Bet)
top