The top two in the Premier League go head-to-head on Saturday as first-place Manchester City welcome second-place Chelsea to the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side find themselves ten points clear of the Blues, having won each of their previous 11 Premier League games.
A classic performance at the Etihad! 🏛Matchday minus one! ✊ pic.twitter.com/GJZu4Nj5Un— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 14, 2022
A classic performance at the Etihad! 🏛Matchday minus one! ✊ pic.twitter.com/GJZu4Nj5Un
With third-place Liverpool just a single point behind Chelsea, Thomas Tuchel’s men can’t afford to slip up this weekend.
Not only have Man City won each of their last 11 matches, but they have also won 17 of their 21 Premier League outings this season.
With 53 goals to their name, Guardiola’s men are the top scorers in the division. They also boast the best defensive record, having conceded just 13 goals.
The Cityzens have scored at least one goal in each of their last 15 encounters across all competitions, meaning they are likely to find the back of the net on Saturday.
When you look at the bigger picture, Man City have only lost five of their past 41 home matches in all competitions – emphasizing their dominance.
On the flip side, Chelsea head to the Etihad on the back of a 1-0 victory over Tottenham in the EFL Cup semi-finals.
The Blues have booked their spot in the EFL Cup final and will face the winner of Liverpool and Arsenal’s semi-final at Wembley.
In the Premier League, Tuchel’s side are currently enjoying a six-match unbeaten streak. Better still, they have lost just one of their previous 15 league outings.
It is also worth pointing out that Chelsea have only lost three of their past 29 away games across all competitions.
Head-to-head: Chelsea have won three of their previous four meetings with Man City, securing victories in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
However, Guardiola’s men beat Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge in their most recent encounter back in September.
Team news: Man City will be without Riyad Mahrez on Saturday as he is competing at AFCON with Algeria. John Stones and Phil Foden are also doubts.
As for Chelsea, Edouard Mendy is away on AFCON duty – meaning Kepa will continue to deputize between the sticks. Ben Chilwell, Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah are all injured.
Although Chelsea sit just one place behind Man City in the table, the gulf between Guardiola’s side and the rest of the league is vast.
With that in mind, Forebet predicts that Man City will score over 2.5 goals on their way to dispatching the Blues.