Premier League Stats
We have a poor overall record against them in the Premier League era; not totally unexpected. Looking at the Head-to-Head stats, we have faced them 47 times but have only managed 14 wins while they have won 26 of them and the remaining seven games have been draws between the two sides. In the Recent Meetings though we have had the better of them having won four out of last six meetings in the league (only most recent five are listed below) ... but this is especially true at home as we have won the last three meetings at the Etihad. The most memorable of them being that 6-0 thrashing of Saari's Chelsea on our way to that second (back-to-back) Premier League title under Pep. A certain Sergio Aguero scored a hat-trick in that game.
Last time I wrote about Chelsea pre-match in the league, it was just before that reverse fixture at the start of the year ... they were in the middle of a proper wobble back then after being hailed as an outside title challengers early on. That win against them started our long winning run while they went further down to a point where a managerial change was required ... their new manager has since come in and completely transformed their fortunes. The Form Guide and Season So Far stats don't tell the whole story (as these are only for the Premier League). Other than being the favourite for clinching that last spot in the top four this season, Chelsea have already secured their place in the FA Cup Final and are also on the verge of making it to the Champions League Final as well.
Before & After
They have a tighter schedule than us this week ... their Champions League Semi Final is a day after ours so we would get an extra day on them going into the weekend. And afterwards as well, they play Arsenal a couple of days earlier than we have to play Newcastle.
Here are the two sides' before and after games:
Chelsea
Wed 5 - 8:00pm - Real Madrid (H) - CL SF
Sat 8 - 5:30pm - Manchester City (A) - PL
Wed 12 - 8:15pm - Arsenal (H) - PL
Manchester City
Tue 4 - 8:00pm - PSG (H) - CL SF
Sat 8 - 5:30pm - Chelsea (H) - PL
Fri 14 - 8:00pm - Newcastle (A) - PL
Looking at their series of three games in a week of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Arsenal, I won't be too surprised if ours is a tie where they think of rotating a bit and trying harder to win the other two (one being a must-win knockout tie and other perhaps more winnable than us) ... but then their last summer spending has equipped them with a squad good enough to rotate completely and still be very competitive.
Pre-Match Thoughts
There are ZERO thoughts about Chelsea in my head as I start this game's pre-match thread. Obviously right now (Tuesday afternoon) all my thoughts are about the game this evening against Paris Saint-Germain. And the very reason I am posting this now (earlier in the day) is because I think I will be too occupied mentally after the end of that game to be able to write anything about Chelsea anyway. Will obviously either be deliriously happy having reached the Final of the Champions League or too distraught to ... well, I'm not even considering that alternative right now.
As for this game against Chelsea, and whatever happens in the Champions League tonight ... it would be hard to think about them anyway because all the focus will be on us and the big question, the only question will be ... if we will be the Premier League Champions by the end of this game?
Yes, it will be ideal that we finish the job ourselves on the pitch on Saturday ... but even if we don't, we could still be confirmed the Champions on Sunday should United lose against Villa (unless their fans go on disrupting that game as well) ... and if that doesn't happen on Sunday either, there'll be another opportunity against Newcastle on next Friday ... it's pretty much inevitable though that we will be crowned the Champions of England for the third time in last four years ... our fifth title out of the last ten ... throw in all the other League Cups, FA Cups and Community Shields and this truly has been our decade ... and with our style of play, this is truly unprecedented ... so watch it, drink it in ... as we truly are witnessing something remarkable that history will remember and appreciate in years to come!
Match Prediction
It will be a tight game ... Aguero will probably start (and probably score) ... and our motivation to win the league and especially so soon after that FA Cup semi-final defeat to them would drive us on to end the day on top.
Manchester City 2 - 1 Chelsea