Venue: Stamford Bridge - Fulham - London
When: Sunday 20th March 2011. Kickoff at 16:00 live on Skysports
Competition: Barclays Premier League
Chelsea Team News:
Last season, Manchester City won here in a game overshadowed by events off the pitch. Perhaps uniquely, the two teams were asked by referee Mike Dean to reverse their roles in the friendship handshake the visitors walking down the home side's line placing even greater focus on the individuals concerned. The 2-4 defeat was probably the eventual champions' worst home performance in five years and a repeat, with so much at stake, is surely inconceivable.
Two Italian managers and old friends meet on Sunday. Carlo Ancelotti has already claimed that three of his substitutes against Copenhagen Fernando Torres, Florent Malouda and Michael Essien will be in his starting line-up against City.
The suggestion would be that they will replace Didier Drogba, Yuri Zhirkov and Jon Obi Mikel respectively. Nicholas Anelka, like Shaun Wright-Phillips playing against his old club, is the only Chelsea striker to have scored against City in their last five meetings.
Manchester City Team News:
City boss Roberto Mancini is innately cautious, though the flexibility of his 4-2-3-1 formation often allows five forwards to line up on edge of the opposition box. Midfielder Yaya Touré, the best player on the pitch in the two teams meeting at Eastlands earlier this season, is another who can rapidly convert defence to attack with his colossal stride.
Top scorer Carlos Tévez, midfield stopper Nigel de Jong and Vincent Kompany, the centre-back who also makes occasional forays forward, have also generally excelled against the Blues.
De Jong returned after a month out injured to face Wigan two weeks ago. Joleon Lescott has been playing centre-back recently during Kolo Touré's suspension for failing a drugs test.
Chelsea Stats and Milestones:
Chelsea's Premier League record against City at Stamford Bridge is:
1992/93 - Man City won 4-2
1993/94 - Drew 0-0
1994/95 - Chelsea won 3-0
1995/96 - Drew 1-1
2000/01 - Chelsea won 2-1
2002/03 - Chelsea won 5-0
2003/04 - Chelsea won 1-0
2004/05 - Drew 0-0
2005/06 - Chelsea won 2-0
2006/07 - Chelsea won 3-0
2007/08 - Chelsea won 6-0
2008/09 - Chelsea won 1-0
2009/10 - Man City won 4-2
Chelsea v Man City in all competitions
Games played 140
Chelsea wins 59
City wins 45
Draws 36
Head to head in the League at Stamford Bridge
Games played 65
Chelsea wins 32
City wins 13
Draws 20
Biggest league win at Stamford Bridge for each team
27/10/2007 - Chelsea 6-0 Manchester City
16/09/1978 - Chelsea 1-4 Manchester City
Last seasons fixture highlights
YouTube - Chelsea 2-4 Manchester City 27 2 10 Full Highlight
Days Since:
Chelsea won a trophy: 308
City won a trophy: 12,803
Arsenal won a trophy: 2,127
Liverpool won a trophy: 1,761
My take on the game:
City have been our bogey side recently but they have been far from convincing recently and their has been signs that Chelsea may be returning to somewhere near our best. If we can keep one man quiet and that is Carlos Tevez then i fully expect Chelsea to get all 3 points. We have struggled to keep him quiet on so many occasions but i think their is one huge difference and that is David Luiz.
Prediction: 2-0 to Chelsea with Torres scoring on his Birthday and Lampard adding a 2nd from the spot.
When: Sunday 20th March 2011. Kickoff at 16:00 live on Skysports
Competition: Barclays Premier League
Chelsea Team News:
Last season, Manchester City won here in a game overshadowed by events off the pitch. Perhaps uniquely, the two teams were asked by referee Mike Dean to reverse their roles in the friendship handshake the visitors walking down the home side's line placing even greater focus on the individuals concerned. The 2-4 defeat was probably the eventual champions' worst home performance in five years and a repeat, with so much at stake, is surely inconceivable.
Two Italian managers and old friends meet on Sunday. Carlo Ancelotti has already claimed that three of his substitutes against Copenhagen Fernando Torres, Florent Malouda and Michael Essien will be in his starting line-up against City.
The suggestion would be that they will replace Didier Drogba, Yuri Zhirkov and Jon Obi Mikel respectively. Nicholas Anelka, like Shaun Wright-Phillips playing against his old club, is the only Chelsea striker to have scored against City in their last five meetings.
Manchester City Team News:
City boss Roberto Mancini is innately cautious, though the flexibility of his 4-2-3-1 formation often allows five forwards to line up on edge of the opposition box. Midfielder Yaya Touré, the best player on the pitch in the two teams meeting at Eastlands earlier this season, is another who can rapidly convert defence to attack with his colossal stride.
Top scorer Carlos Tévez, midfield stopper Nigel de Jong and Vincent Kompany, the centre-back who also makes occasional forays forward, have also generally excelled against the Blues.
De Jong returned after a month out injured to face Wigan two weeks ago. Joleon Lescott has been playing centre-back recently during Kolo Touré's suspension for failing a drugs test.
Chelsea Stats and Milestones:
- Chelsea have hit the woodwork 15 times in league matches which is more than any other Barclays Premier League team.
- The Blues have fallen behind in 11 of their last 19 league games and have come back to win on three occasions - at Ewood Park against Blackburn in October, Sunderland away and Man Utd at home.
- Chelsea have not lost a league game this season when opening the scoring.
- Chelsea have the best defensive record in the Premier League this term, conceding 24 goals in 28 games, and the third best attacking record scoring 51, more than Man City, Liverpool and Tottenham.
- Chelsea have lost seven in the Premier League this term which is the most since they lost the same number in 2003/04 when they finished runners-up to Arsenal. Chelsea's opposition opened the scoring on each of those seven occasions.
- The Blues have the fifth best home record in the league this season with 29 points out of a possible 39 with nine wins against West Brom, Stoke, Blackpool, Arsenal, Wolves, Fulham, Bolton, Blackburn and Man Utd, two draws with Everton and Aston Villa and two defeats to Sunderland and Liverpool.
- FC Copenhagen on Wednesday was the tenth occasion this season they have failed to find the net, compared to twice in 2009/10.
- Salomon Kalou's next appearance from the bench will set a new club record 94 substitute appearances for the Blues moving him ahead of Joe Cole's 93.
- Happy birthday to Fernando Torres who celebrates his 27th birthday on Sunday, to Fabio Borini who turns 20 next Wednesday, and to Ramires, 24 on Thursday
- Manchester City have not won any of their last eight away matches in all competitions.
- Manchester City are looking for their first away win in the Premier League in 2011. Since their last victory at Newcastle on Boxing Day they have drawn two and lost two.
- Seven of Manchester City's last eight games in all competitions have been at home.
- Manchester City are hoping for a fourth successive victory against the Blues from SW6.
- City have taken nine points from a possible 21 against the current top six clubs with Chelsea, Liverpool away and Tottenham at home still to play.
- The Citizens have the equal second best away record in the division (with Chelsea and Tottenham) gaining 22 points from a possible 42. They have won at Wigan, Blackpool, West Brom, Fulham, West Ham and Newcastle, drawn with Tottenham, Stoke, Arsenal and Birmingham and lost at Sunderland, Wolves, Aston Villa and Man Utd.
- City have failed to score twice in their last 16 league games at Arsenal and Aston Villa.
- Man City have lost five and drawn one of the seven occasions their opponents scored the opening goal.
- The Premier League's second highest scorer, Carlos Tevez, has scored one hat-trick and five braces this term. City have not lost any of the 25 league games when he has scored, winning 23 of them.
- City have the worst disciplinary record in the Premier League with five red and 57 yellow cards.
Chelsea's Premier League record against City at Stamford Bridge is:
1992/93 - Man City won 4-2
1993/94 - Drew 0-0
1994/95 - Chelsea won 3-0
1995/96 - Drew 1-1
2000/01 - Chelsea won 2-1
2002/03 - Chelsea won 5-0
2003/04 - Chelsea won 1-0
2004/05 - Drew 0-0
2005/06 - Chelsea won 2-0
2006/07 - Chelsea won 3-0
2007/08 - Chelsea won 6-0
2008/09 - Chelsea won 1-0
2009/10 - Man City won 4-2
Chelsea v Man City in all competitions
Games played 140
Chelsea wins 59
City wins 45
Draws 36
Head to head in the League at Stamford Bridge
Games played 65
Chelsea wins 32
City wins 13
Draws 20
Biggest league win at Stamford Bridge for each team
27/10/2007 - Chelsea 6-0 Manchester City
16/09/1978 - Chelsea 1-4 Manchester City
Last seasons fixture highlights
YouTube - Chelsea 2-4 Manchester City 27 2 10 Full Highlight
Days Since:
Chelsea won a trophy: 308
City won a trophy: 12,803
Arsenal won a trophy: 2,127
Liverpool won a trophy: 1,761
My take on the game:
City have been our bogey side recently but they have been far from convincing recently and their has been signs that Chelsea may be returning to somewhere near our best. If we can keep one man quiet and that is Carlos Tevez then i fully expect Chelsea to get all 3 points. We have struggled to keep him quiet on so many occasions but i think their is one huge difference and that is David Luiz.
Prediction: 2-0 to Chelsea with Torres scoring on his Birthday and Lampard adding a 2nd from the spot.
It Hurts me to say that but I hate Chelsea with all my guts and I have got a £25 bet with my mate that city will win.
