Chelsea vs. Manchester City: Premier League Matchday 12 Preview
The Blues’ lacklustre performances against the Premier League leaders involve six consecutive losses and suggest little progress towards a turnaround this weekend.
On Sunday, November 12, 2023, at 4:30 p.m. GMT, Chelsea will take on Manchester City. Stamford Bridge, in West London, will host the contest.
Chelsea will be cognizant that, despite their resounding derby victory over Tottenham last time out, they must level up to face Manchester City on Sunday.
On Monday night, in a truly tumultuous all-London matchup, the Blues defeated rivals Spurs 4-1 to end their unblemished streak. Despite facing nine men, the game was arguably still difficult to read until Nicolas Jackson’s hat-trick sealed the outcome in stoppage time.
City will be chomping at the bit as they scheme a seventh consecutive victory over the London club in all competitions. Before that, they defeated a faltering Bournemouth for six goals and, with two games remaining, have also advanced to the knockout stage of the Champions League.
Chelsea vs. Manchester City: Form Guide
Chelsea’s 4-1 victory over Tottenham on Monday night was ideal preparation for this match. The two red cards given to Spurs were an enormous lift for the Blues, as was the fact that they were able to end their bitter rivals’ undefeated record.
Chelsea’s plight is reflected in their inability to beat a nine-man Spurs team who played recklessly. Even though Tottenham frightened the Blues while playing with nine players due to the sacrifice of vital attackers for defensive substitutes, the last 15 minutes were highlighted by a hat trick from Nicolas Jackson.
That said, it remains tricky to get behind the concept that Chelsea can compete with a City team that’s found its rhythm after Monday’s performance.
Chelsea: Previous 6 Matches
| 6.11.2023 | Tottenham | 1-4 | Chelsea | EPL |
| 1.11.2023 | Chelsea | 2-0 | Blackburn Rovers | EFL Cup |
| 28.10.2023 | Chelsea | 0-2 | Brentford | EPL |
| 21.10.2023 | Chelsea | 2-2 | Arsenal | EPL |
| 7.10.2023 | Burnley | 1-4 | Chelsea | EPL |
| 2.10.2023 | Fulham | 0-2 | Chelsea | EPL |
Photo by Simon Reza on Unsplash
As a result of their weekend opponent’s victory over Spurs, Man City retook the Premier League lead. The team coached by Pep Guardiola is currently red hot, having won their fifth consecutive game on Tuesday. City also defeated Young Boys by a score of 3-0 on Wednesday, giving them a total of 17 goals in their previous five games.
Erling Haaland was replaced after 45 minutes of the champions’ 6-1 thrashing of Bournemouth last weekend without a goal to his name.
The attacker did smash a brace in Europe in midweek, so he’s back to full shape and ready to make an impact here. The emphatic striker has scored six times in his past three games, making him a solid bet to find the back of the net on Sunday.
Manchester City: Previous 6 Matches
| 7.11.2023 | Manchester City | 3-0 | BSC Young Boys | UCL |
| 4.11.2023 | Manchester City | 6-1 | Bournemouth | EPL |
| 29.10.2023 | Manchester Utd | 0-3 | Manchester City | EPL |
| 25.10.2023 | BSC Young Boys | 1-3 | Manchester City | UCL |
| 21.10.2023 | Manchester City | 2-1 | Brighton | EPL |
| 8.10.2023 | Arsenal | 1-0 | Manchester City | EPL |
Chelsea vs. Manchester City: Injury Updates
Mykhailo Mudryk comes back from injury and might replace Levi Colwill in the starting lineup for Spurs, as Mauricio Pochettino made a tactical choice to take him off at halftime against Chelsea.
Although Chelsea has reduced the number of players on its injury list, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, and Trevoh Chalobah remain sidelined for Pochettino.
In contrast, it appears that City will be without Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Sergio Gomez due to injury this weekend.
The bright side is that Erling Haaland has recovered from his ankle injury and scored twice (the second of which was a rocket) in midweek to seal City’s spot in the Champions League quarter finals.
Chelsea vs. Manchester City: Head-to-Head
| 21.5.2023 | Manchester City | 1-0 | Chelsea | EPL |
| 8.1.2023 | Manchester City | 4-0 | Chelsea | FA Cup |
| 5.1.2023 | Chelsea | 0-1 | Manchester City | EPL |
| 9.11.2022 | Manchester City | 2-0 | Chelsea | EFL Cup |
| 15.1.2022 | Manchester City | 1-0 | Chelsea | EPL |
| 25.9.2011 | Chelsea | 0-1 | Manchester City | EPL |
Chelsea vs. Manchester City: The Betting Odds
- Chelsea 41/10
- Manchester City 3/4
- Draw 57/20
Unsurprisingly, when you compare the best UK bookmakers, odds are siding with Manchester’s finest.
The Cityzens have been dominant recently, winning 14 of their last 17 matches across all competitions (Premier League and Champions League). They also have the greatest offensive record (28) and the greatest defensive record (-8) in the English Premier League.
Man City has beaten the Blues six times in a row, and each time, they have preserved a clean sheet and scored at least once, thus proving that the current odds are justified.
Chelsea vs. Manchester City: Prediction
Chelsea lost all four of last season’s matchups against The Citizens. So, don’t be surprised when Chelsea struggles this weekend against the in-form title holders since they have lost their past four Premier League matchups against them and six straight matches overall.
When compared to City, the Blues appear far from their best right now. There has never been a year in which Chelsea has lost more Premier League games at home than in 2023. This Saturday might bring another defeat, as City is expected to outscore a lacklustre Blues attack.
- Chelsea vs. Manchester City Best Bet: Man City Win @ 3/4
- Chelsea vs. Manchester City Best Betting Value: Man City win to nil @ 9/4
- Chelsea vs. Manchester City Score Prediction: 0-2
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.
