Team
news, stats and prediction ahead of Chelsea vs Manchester City in the
Premier League on Thursday (kick-off 8.15pm).
Team news
Chelsea will welcome back Jorginho from suspension for their Premier League
clash with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge - a game that could seal the
title for Liverpool.
Manager Frank Lampard is likely to rotate his starting line-up from Sunday's
2-1 win at Aston Villa to cope with fixture congestion.
Defender Fikayo Tomori is still sidelined with a muscle complaint and could
be a week away from being ready to feature. Forward Callum Hudson-Odoi is
back in training but not match fit so will miss out.
Man City are without record goalscorer Sergio Aguero, who has undergone knee
surgery after suffering an injury in Monday's victory over Burnley.
Defender John Stones (ankle) could soon be back in contention and No 2
goalkeeper Claudio Bravo (thigh) has also been training.
Forwards Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling, who were on the bench as
manager Pep Guardiola made eight changes on Monday, could return to the
starting line-up.
Liverpool, who thrashed Crystal Palace 4-0 on Wednesday night, will be
crowned champions if City fail to win.
Opta stats
Chelsea have alternated between defeat and victory in their last four
Premier League home games against Man City, winning this exact fixture 2-0
last season.
Man City have won six of their last nine Premier League meetings with
Chelsea (L3), as many as they had in their previous 34 against them (W6 D7
L21).
Chelsea have kept just one clean sheet in their last 11 Premier League
meetings with Man City, though it was in this exact fixture last season
(2-0).
Man City lost their last Premier League game in London (0-2 vs Tottenham).
They've not lost consecutive games in the capital since December 2015, the
first defeat of which also came against Spurs.
Manchester City have won 18 of their last 20 midweek Premier League matches
(Tuesday-Thursday), losing the other two against Leicester and Newcastle in
2018-19.
Chelsea had 74% possession in their 2-1 win away at Aston Villa, the 29th
time this season they have had the majority of possession in a Premier
League game, more than any other side.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has won 15 of his first 30 Premier League
matches and is only the fifth Englishman of the 69 to have managed at least
30 games to have won at least half of his first 30 games, and first since
Tim Sherwood in April 2015.
Manchester City's Sergio Aguero has scored 10 goals in his last nine
appearances against Chelsea in all competitions, including netting two
hat-tricks in that run. In six Premier League games at Stamford Bridge,
Aguero has been involved in seven goals (5 goals, 2 assists).
Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud is looking to score in three consecutive
Premier League appearances for the first time since January 2017, when he
played for Arsenal. Giroud has scored in his last three Premier League
starts against Man City, although they came between January 2015 and May
2016.
Man City forward Gabriel Jesus has scored six goals and assisted four more
in 16 Premier League appearances in London, averaging a goal or assist every
74 minutes in the capital. He has either scored or assisted in seven of his
eight starts in London.
Charlie's prediction
We always knew Phil Foden was the real deal in terms of talent. People kept
suggesting he should go to Germany or elsewhere, but why? He is, in time,
going to be David Silva's replacement, and a good one at that. He must learn
the other side of the game though.
He does remind me of Jack Wilshere. A sweet left foot, superb in tight
situations and hard to knock off the ball, while being precise with his
passing. It was the injuries that finished Wilshere at the top level, but
what Jack was not able to do that Foden was able to do is being able to work
under a coach that is requiring you to learn differing positions. Foden is
being taught the Andres Iniesta role, yet he scores two against Burnley
playing in a wide-left role.
You have to make runs in behind, creating space down the left for Silva or
Oleksandr Zinchenko, and he did just that. He is creating space without the
ball and then you will gradually get the ball. Pep's ways of working are
brilliant, and Foden is learning all the time. You saw the delight on his
face after the game - he knows he has it and City know they have the right
guy and he is the one who can be trusted.
This may start the Manchester City rebuild for back-to-back titles again.
They do have a replacement and he is one of their own. He is playing in and
around Kevin De Bruyne, who is one of the best in the world, and all of
these cup competitions they are building for will help his progression. I
see a big improvement here and City will reap the rewards.
Chelsea came back well with energy and enthusiasm against Aston Villa,
especially with the youngsters, but you can still see that they have
problems defensively. You can get at them. Billy Gilmour was left out, as we
know what N'Golo Kante can do. Chelsea will be a handful going forward, and
if City don't win, Liverpool will win the league as a result, but I think it
is looking like Liverpool having to go to City to win it. I will go for a
narrow City win here.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-2 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
top