Adam Scriven’s selections for Saturday’s clash at the Etihad include a win for the hosts with goals at both ends.
Manchester City have a mountain to climb if they are to have any chance of catching Premier League leaders Liverpool, but a win over Chelsea on Saturday would be a start as it would take the champions back into the top four.
After an alarming autumnal slump, Pep Guardiola’s side have got their act together domestically and dropped just two points from their last four matches.
A 4-2 Champions League defeat at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday was a disappointment, but a 6-0 win at Ipswich in their last league game should give them some confidence.
Chelsea, who enjoy a two-point lead on the Citizens, ended a six-match winless run with a 3-1 victory over Wolves on Monday, but they have failed to win any of their last three away games and this looks set to be a tough test.
Both sides are 21/20 in the football betting odds to come away with the win, with the draw priced at 3/1 at the time of writing.
Selections
Manchester City to win & both teams to score 21/10
Phil Foden to score at any time 9/5
Moises Caciedo to be booked 23/20
City back in Premier League groove
Manchester City have had their fair share of issues this season, not least in the Champions League where they are making hard work of knockout qualification having thrown away a two-goal lead in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss at PSG.
However, they are showing their teeth in the Premier League and a recent 4-1 home win over West Ham and a 6-0 success at Ipswich last week bodes well for their visit from Chelsea.
The Blues got back to winning ways against Wolves on Monday, but they have failed to win on recent trips to Everton, Crystal Palace and Ipswich, so their away form is difficult to trust.
They can find the net at the Etihad, as they have done in all but three of their last 22 Premier League away games, but while City have kept just two clean sheets in 11 league outings on their own patch this term, the home side should take the points.
Foden has found his shooting boots
City’s star players have started to turn up in recent weeks and no one has produced a greater upturn in performance levels than Phil Foden.
The England star opened his league account for the season on December 21 and has since scored in the win over West Ham, both goals in the 2-2 draw at Brentford and helped himself to another brace in the 6-0 win at Portman Road last week.
That will have lifted a lot of pressure off his shoulders and could mean he is more positive about his general attacking play, so don’t be surprised if the Stockport Iniesta adds to his goal tally.
Caicedo could receive sixth yellow card
Moises Caicedo received his fifth booking of the Premier League season in Monday’s win over Wolves but will not serve a suspension on Saturday as the threshold has already passed.
Therefore, we can expect the Ecuadorian to be in the thick of the midfield action at the Etihad and it is worth noting that his tally of 45 fouls is the second-highest in the entire top-flight.
Chelsea may have to do more ball-chasing than normal, so he looks a decent price to suffer another caution.