Manchester City vs Chelsea: Predicted lineup, Prediction and Match Preview
On Saturday, February 17, 2024, at 17:30 UTC, Manchester City will be hosting Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium for Round 25 of the Premier League.
Manchester City Form
Manchester City is currently in second place in the Premier League after 23 games, with 16 wins, four draws, and three losses. They are level with Arsenal and two points behind Liverpool, with a game in hand. In their last five matches in all competitions, Manchester City has secured victories.
In the FA Cup Fourth Round, they won 0-1 against Tottenham with Nathan Ake scoring the decisive goal. In the Premier League, City defeated Burnley 3-1, Brentford 1-3, and Everton 2-0. They also won 1-3 against Copenhagen in the Champions League Round of 16.
Overall, Manchester City has been in good form recently, winning all their last five matches across different competitions.
Chelsea Form
Chelsea currently holds the tenth position in the Premier League, having won ten, drawn four, and lost ten out of 24 games, accumulating 34 points. They are one point behind Brighton and just two points ahead of Wolves. In their last five matches across all competitions, Chelsea recorded two wins, one draw, and two losses.
In the FA Cup Fourth Round, Chelsea faced Aston Villa in a goalless draw, requiring a replay. Their Premier League encounter with Liverpool ended in a 4-1 defeat, despite Christopher Nkunku scoring for Chelsea. Another setback followed against Wolves, losing 2-4, despite goals from Cole Palmer and Thiago Silva. However, Chelsea recovered in the FA Cup replay against Aston Villa, winning 1-3 with goals from Conor Gallagher, Nicolas Jackson, and Enzo Fernandez.
In their most recent match against Crystal Palace, Chelsea secured a 1-3 victory, with Jefferson Lerma scoring first for Palace, and Gallagher netting a brace against his former team, along with a late goal from Fernandez.
Head to Head
Looking at the history between Manchester City and Chelsea, they have faced each other 176 times since their first meeting in 1907. Chelsea has a slightly better record with 71 wins, compared to City's 65, and the remaining 40 matches ending in draws.
In the most recent league encounter between these teams, which took place on match day 12 on November 12, 2023, the concluding score was a thrilling 4-4 draw, with Chelsea and Manchester City sharing the points.
Team News
Despite the generally positive circumstances for the hosts, a few injuries pose concerns. Jack Grealish is dealing with a recurring groin issue, making him likely to be unavailable for the upcoming match. Bernardo Silva has also suffered an ankle injury, potentially limiting his participation. Additionally, City will be without Josko Gvardiol, Sergio Gomez, and Mateo Kovacic.
On the other hand, the Blues are grappling with an extensive list of first-team injuries. Players such as Benoit Badiashile, Reece James, Lesley Ugochukwu, Marc Cucurella, Robert Sanchez, Rome Lavia, and Wesley Fofana are currently sidelined.
manual
Predicted Lineup
Manchester City predicted lineup (4-1-4-1):
Ederson (GK); Walker, Stones, Dias, Akanji; Rodri; Foden, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Doku; Haaland
Chelsea predicted lineup (4-2-3-1):
Petrovic (GK); Gusto, Disasi, Colwill, Chilwell; Caicedo, Fernandez; Palmer, Gallagher, Nkunku; Jackson
Manchester City vs Chelsea Prediction
The Citizens are displaying remarkable resilience currently, having secured victories in their past 11 games. Given their strong position in the league, it seems unlikely that they will ease up on their pursuit of the title. While the Blues have won their last two matches, there's a possibility that City could impose a challenging test for them at the Etihad Stadium.