Manchester City will look to wrap up their fifth Premier League title with a win against Chelsea, who they now also face in the UEFA Champions League final on 29 May. City and Chelsea both recorded 2-0 home victories in the Champions League in midweek over PSG and Real Madrid respectively.
Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea knocked Man City out of the FA Cup last month, thus crushing their bid for a quadruple of trophies. Chelsea are unbeaten in their seven Premier League away matches under Thomas Tuchel. If Manchester City wins on Saturday they will win their 5th Premier League title going level with Chelsea only behind local rivals Manchester United.
City’s airtight defence has kept 18 clean sheets in 34 PL matches this season, one more than they registered across the whole of last season and two behind their highest such total in a single PL season of 20 in 2018/19.
Tomas Tuchel’s side is no alien to defensive solidity. The German has cemented the crack in the Chelsea backline and they look more cohesive than they were earlier in the season. The blues have kept 11 clean sheets in 15 league matches under Tuchel.
TEAM NEWS
John Stones is suspended after receiving a three-match ban and will be replaced by Aymeric Laporte. Rodri was benched in the semifinal against PSG and will most likely make a return to the starting lineup.
Pep Guardiola is using an old technique at Man City with Oleksandr Zinchenko #mcfc https://t.co/VpmwIEmVTo
— Manchester City News (@ManCityMEN) May 6, 2021
Manchester City Probable Lineup: Ederson; Mendy, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo; Rodri, Gundogan; De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez; Sergio Aguero
Cezar Azpilicueta and Mateo Kovacic remain a doubt after sustaining injuries. Tuchel will look for Pulisic and Kante to continue their rich vein of form against Manchester City on Saturday.
Mason Mount has been tipped for a big future https://t.co/u5i9sa5FtN
— Chelsea FC News (@Chelsea_FL) May 6, 2021
Chelsea Probable Lineup: Mendy; Rudiger, Silva, Zouma; Alonso, James, Kante, Jorginho; Mount, Pulisic, Kai Havertz
GAME CHANGERS
City’s record goalscorer Sergio Aguero is all set to leave next season. The Argentine was instrumental in City winning their first-ever Premier League title in 2012 and will be looking to end his tenure on a high with top performance on Saturday.
176 – Sergio Agüero is now the outright fifth-highest scoring player in Premier League history, and has scored more goals than any overseas player:
Alan Shearer 260
Wayne Rooney 208
Andrew Cole 187
Frank Lampard 177
Sergio Agüero 176Phenom. pic.twitter.com/SgQRZS1jrj
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 12, 2020
Christian Pulisic who has drawn plaudits from a host of pundits over the last couple of weeks, came off the bench against Real Madrid and assisted Mason Mount’s goal that firmly secured Chelsea’s win. The American will be looking to earn a start at the weekend.
PREDICTIONS
Manchester City have enjoyed a stellar season under Pep Guardiola and are on course to win the treble. City know a win will secure them the Premier League title and the Citizens will want to avenge their FA Cup semifinal loss to Chelsea.
It’s just a matter of when and not if, Manchester City win the Premier League, but The Blues will sure want to delay the champagne party. FootTheBall predicts Manchester City 2-2 Chelsea.
