Best Odds: 19/20
Bookmaker:
Knowing that they can officially retain their Premier League crown this weekend, Manchester City will welcome a struggling Chelsea to the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester City
Starting with the hosts, making a major Champions League statement earlier in the week as they cruised their way to only a second European final, the mood in Manchester City’s camp is at a red-hot high. Eventually storming their way to a famous 4-0 romp against Real Madrid, Pep Guardiola’s high-flying squad have continued on a remarkable purple patch. Knowing that they can officially defend their Premier League crown this weekend, the ex-Barcelona boss finds his side in the midst of a 23-match unbeaten run across all competitions. With that extended romp stemming all the way back to a 1-0 loss away at Tottenham on February 5th, the Sky Blues are riding a famous wave of momentum. Now sat in pole position to become the first Premier League club since 1999 to complete a domestic and European sweep, Guardiola’s side will simply be looking to lay down another marker this weekend. Really gaining a reputation for their free-scoring displays in the final third, City should be relishing Chelsea’s arrival at the Etihad here.
Team News
Manchester City have already confirmed that one-time Chelsea starlet Nathan Ake will once again miss out due to a hamstring injury. However, aside from the Dutch international, Guardiola has reported no fresh injury concerns.
Notching four goals in his last two Premier League appearances, Ilkay Gundogan will partner Rodri in the middle of the park. Kevin De Bruyne could be handed a rest on Sunday afternoon.
Chelsea
As for the visitors, while Chelsea might have claimed a crucial 3-1 win away at Bournemouth on May 6th, it appears that was nothing more than a minor boost. Struggling to find any kind of stability since they welcomed Frank Lampard back to Stamford Bridge, the Blues have only continued on a nightmare run of form. Opening May with a 3-1 drumming away at London rivals Arsenal, Chelsea have already accepted that they will have to settle for a woeful bottom-half finish in 2023. Despite really breaking the bank over the past two transfer windows, Lampard’s temporary squad have recorded just a single victory from any of their last 11 straight appearances across all competitions. With that nightmare run stemming all the way back to a 3-1 victory against Leicester on March 11th, Sunday’s guests will know that they face a monumental challenge at the Etihad here. It’s also worth highlighting, Chelsea suffered a 4-0 drumming when they traveled to Manchester for an FA Cup showdown on January 8th.
Team News
Suffering yet another injury setback this month, midfield talisman N’Golo Kante will miss the remainder of the season. Likewise, Lampard will be unable to call upon Benoit Badiashile, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Reece James and Mason Mount here.
While former Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly might have recently returned to first-team training, the Senegal international is not expected to feature at the Etihad.
Key Factors to Consider
