Manchester City vs Chelsea FC
During the week, Europe’s top clubs battled it out on the international stage. This weekend, however, it’s back to league action. The Premier League also continues and the 25th matchday is already coming up. Saturday evening will be a real treat, as Chelsea FC visit Manchester City. Find out who will prevail in this duel and who is worth betting on in our Man City – Chelsea betting tip.
Man City had to play in the Champions League during the week and did their homework there. They won the first leg 3:1 at FC Copenhagen and thus took the first step towards the quarter-finals. Pep Guardiola’s team is also in impressive form in the league.
Chelsea, meanwhile, were still active in the league during the week. They won 3-1 at Crystal Palace on Monday evening, but remain mediocre this season. The international places are a long way off and it’s mostly cosmetic work for the Blues. Nevertheless, we expect an exciting match between two of the historic greats of the English league
Man City – Chelsea info
- Date & Time: 17.02.2024, 18:30 hrs.
- Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
- Competition: Premier League, Matchday 25
Man City Form & Balance Check
The Citizens are currently in great form. So far this year there have only been victories and the 3-1 win was their 11th win in a row if we include the FIFA Club World Cup just before Christmas in the statistics. Even if the team did not cover themselves in glory in Copenhagen, they still played in a dominant fashion and secured a well-deserved victory. The team remains in second place in the league, two points behind leaders Liverpool. The advantage for the Sky Blues, however, is that they still have one game less to play than the Reds and therefore still have it in their own hands to conquer the top of the table
The driving force is back for good
Man City midfielder and driving force Kevin de Bruyne is back for good. After missing almost five months due to injury, the Belgian was initially built up slowly by coach Guardiola and only came off the bench for the first few games after his return. However, he has been a permanent fixture in the starting line-up for the past four games and the former Bundesliga player has shown why he is one of the best in the world in his position. Since his return to the first eleven, he has set up at least one goal for his team-mates in every game, and most recently scored a goal himself in addition to two assists against Copenhagen. His return could make all the difference as the season progresses as the Citizens fight for the CL title and championship
Man City facts & analysis
- First place in the table
- Last game won 3:1
- Won every game so far this year
Chelsea Form & Balance Check
Chelsea FC are in a very different position to Man City. The team from Stamford Bridge is not playing internationally this year and is unlikely to do so next year either. In the league, Mauricio Pochettino’s team are only mediocre and have not managed to work their way up to the top of the table due to inconsistent performances. However, they have recently won two games in a row, including advancing in the FA Cup against a strong Aston Villa. The Blues also put in an impressive performance in their recent 3-1 win over Crystal Palace after initially falling behind and will not be hiding against the mighty Man City.
Gallagher in form
Midfielder Conor Gallagher has been in strong form for the Londoners of late. The 24-year-old first scored against Villa in the FA Cup and then bagged a brace and his first two league goals of the season in the league game against Crystal Palace on Monday. The attacking midfielder continues to make his case for a regular place. He added four assists to his two league goals. Coach Pochettino is spoiled for choice, as the squad is slowly returning to full strength and the attack is well-stocked with players such as Raheem Sterling, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke and Christopher Nkunku. Nicolas Jackson has also been back from the Africa Cup since the beginning of the month
Chelsea facts & analysis
- Tenth place in the table
- Last game won 3-1
- Haven’t won against Man City in seven games
Man City can’t afford to slip up and that’s why we expect coach Guardiola to send his best line-up onto the pitch. In comparison to the game against Copenhagen, Manuel Akanji could move back into the back line. Either Kyle Walker or Nathan Aké would have to make way for him. Otherwise, we expect few changes to the Citizens’ 4-2-3-1.
Even Pochettino has little reason to rotate much after the recent win. The two-goal scorer Gallagher should be set in the ten-man position, as should Palmer as the only real striker. Nkunku and Mykhailo Mudyk are still available as attacking options
Man City – Chelsea head-to-head & stats
This Saturday, two clubs steeped in tradition meet. There have already been 158 meetings between City and Chelsea, with the Londoners winning more games by 64 to 55. The last meeting was the first leg of this season and ended in a spectacular 4-4 draw, although the Sky Blues have won six in a row and have the better record in recent history. Chelsea’s last win was in the 2021 Champions League final. The very first time the two clubs met was in 1907. Back then, they drew 2:2
Direct comparison (H2H)
