The Big Match: Manchester City v Chelsea

Premier League: Manchester City v Chelsea

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 5.30pm Saturday.

Match odds

4-9 Man City, 6-1 Chelsea, 4-1 draw.

Form

Manchester City find themselves down in fourth spot in the Premier League, nine points off the pace being set by leaders Liverpool after their 3-1 loss at Anfield last time out.

It was a third league defeat of the season for City, who had lost only six times in total in the last two Premier League campaigns, and this is now a critical phase of the season for Pep Guardiola's side as they face Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Leicester before Christmas.

Novice coach Frank Lampard would definitely have taken being above City after 12 games and the third-placed Blues have surprised many with their excellent start, which includes six straight league wins.

However, a closer inspection of the form shows those matches were against teams in tenth (Burnley), 11th (Brighton), 12th (Crystal Palace), 13th (Newcastle), 18th (Watford) and 19th (Southampton).

This is another test entirely and it is worth bearing in mind that Chelsea have lost all three of their big-six clashes this season, going down twice to United and against Liverpool. They also drew at home to Leicester.

Team news

Christian Pulisic is a major doubt and Ross Barkley also needs to be assessed for the visitors, who will travel to the Etihad without Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Antonio Rudiger.

Goalkeeper Ederson has returned to training for City, but Bernardo Silva is suspended and Aymeric Laporte, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Leroy Sane remain sidelined.

The tactical battle

Chelsea have barely taken a backward step under Lampard this season and there is no reason to suggest they will despite the difficulty of the contest.

They are second to City in the shots and shots-on-target tables and are going to test whichever combination of his gaggle of defenders Guardiola selects from.

With David Silva back to take a midfield slot it could free up Rodri to drop into defence alongside fellow makeshift centre-back Fernandinho. That feels like Guardiola's most trusted partnership with Laporte crocked.

Verdict

This is a massive game and defeat could well knock City out of the title picture before December, while also offering a clear indication as to whether Chelsea's championship challenge is genuine.

The total-goals line is understandably set at over/under 3.5 rather than the standard 2.5 and City could win a topsy-turvy shootout as Chelsea's defence has looked even more vulnerable than the champions' exposed rearguard with 17 goals conceded. City 3-2.

Key stats

• Man City have won 22 of their last 24 home matches
• City have kept clean sheets in five of their last six games against Chelsea
• Tammy Abraham has scored in seven matches this season and six of those were openers
• Chelsea have kept one domestic away clean sheet in 2019

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