Man City vs Chelsea: A tussle for momentum – A preview

Manchester City vs Chelsea is a game neither team can afford to lose.

The Premier League champions are having a subpar season by their own standards.

In midweek, City threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

After the game, manager Pep Guardiola declared that next two games in the Premier League and the Champions League are “finals”.

“The next two games are really really important, finals with us,” Guardiola told reporters.

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“Our people will support us. We are very close in the table [to Chelsea] even with the big big problems we had in the recent past.”

Before the must-win game at Club Brugge, City host Chelsea in the league.

Guardiola’s side are fifth and two points behind the Blues.

And they are yet to fully emerge from their surprise slump which saw them record only one win in nine matches in all competitions at one stage.

Chelsea are managed by Guardiola’s former assistant Enzo Maresca, who spent a season alongside the Spaniard in 2022-2023.

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In the reverse fixture in August, the champions won 2-0, thanks to goals from Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic.

Maresca’s men ended a five-game streak without a win in the league, in which they lost twice, by beating Wolves 3-1 in their last outing.

The barren run, prior to Monday’s win at Stamford Bridge, dented an incredibly strong start to life in London for Maresca, whose side had unexpectedly become title contenders.

However, Saturday’s late kick-off provides a chance for either team to kick on. And a draw will benefit neither.

Man City vs Chelsea: A tussle for momentum – A preview

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