(Football news) The two teams lock horns for the first time since the opening day of the season in August last year, when the Citizens secured a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
Just when it looked like Manchester City were beginning to turn a corner, scoring 23 goals and conceding only four during a six-game unbeaten run, Pep Guardiola’s side came crashing back down to earth with a disappointing 4-2 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Despite boasting a two-goal lead early in the second half, the Citizens capitulated—not for the first time this season—and conceded three goals in 22 minutes before Goncalo Ramos added a fourth for PSG in added time, leaving Man City deflated and now in serious danger of failing to qualify for the knockout rounds.
Sitting 25th in the Champions League standings and needing a win from their final match with Club Brugge next week to secure a last-16 playoff spot, Manchester City have now failed to win nine games across all competitions in which they were ahead—the most of any Premier League club this season.
Guardiola and co must dust themselves down quickly as they prepare for a challenging run of Premier League fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest—a run that may define their season as they pursue a top-four finish.
Manchester City have lost each of their last three Premier League games played immediately after a European midweek match, but they are unbeaten in their last seven top-flight encounters with Saturday’s opponents Chelsea (W5 D2).
After enduring a blip in form either side of the New Year (D2 L2), Chelsea have since won two and drawn one of their last three fixtures in all competitions, picking up four points across their last two Premier League home games against Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The West Londoners salvaged a point at the death in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth before beating Wolves 3-1 on Monday. Goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke helped Chelsea end a five-match winless run in the Premier League and seal their 11th top-flight success of the campaign.
Although he felt that Chelsea “could have scored more” against Wolves, head coach Enzo Maresca is pleased to have seen his side climb back into the top four, two points ahead of Saturday’s opponents, Manchester City, in fifth, whom they have struggled against in recent years.
Indeed, Chelsea have failed to win any of their last 10 meetings with the Citizens across all competitions (D2 L8) since beating Guardiola’s side 1-0 in the 2021 Champions League final, three weeks after they claimed their last Premier League win over Man City (2-1) at the Etihad.
Chelsea have actually collected more points away from home (21) than at Stamford Bridge (19) so far this season, but they head to the Etihad this weekend without a win in their last three games on the road (D2 L1), while they have kept just one clean sheet in their last 16 PL away matches against Man City and have failed to score on seven occasions during this run.
Also read: Manchester United manager provides update as 2 defender face injury