Chelsea have lost 3 of their last 4 Premier League clashes with Antonio Conte’s job very much on the line. The Blues who romped to the title in style last year have found it difficult to get going this season with the champions losing too many matches. Their defeat last week to Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United underlines the club’s problem this season. Chelsea began the match on the front foot and failed to capitalize. The Blues were left to rue their lack of intent as United snatched the win from Chelsea by doing very little.
Conte will know that with hopes of a trophy this season looking bleak, it is vital that he maintains the club’s status as a Champions League team and gives the Blues a top-four finish at least. The boys from Stamford Bridge lost out in the semi-finals of the League Cup, they are still in the FA Cup but so are teams like Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. In the Champions League, they will have to do the unthinkable by beating Barcelona at Camp Nou and hence top four becomes a priority for Conte. He will have to round up against a magnificent Manchester City team this weekend and will hope to get something out of the match.
Formation: 3-5-2
Defence
Thibaut Courtois will have to be sharp in goal and will have to pull off an excellent night if he wishes to help his team progress to the next round. It will be an acid test for Conte’s defence and the three selected men on the night could be Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger. Gary Cahill has been off form and might sit out with David Luiz not even remotely close to featuring for the big match.
Victor Moses will be chosen over Davide Zappacosta as the right wing-back while Marcos Alonso can be expected to resume his natural services from the left wing back role.
Midfield
N’Golo Kante will be partnered with his old teammate Danny Drinkwater and the midfield duo will have to sit and break apart every single Manchester City attack while Cesc Fabregas can be expected to play ahead of them and provide balls for counter-attacks.
Attack
Olivier Giroud will have the responsibility of leading the line against Manchester City with Alvaro Morata’s bad form forcing the Spaniard out while his supporting striker will be Chelsea ace Eden Hazard who will be the Blues’ best hope on the night to score for Chelsea.
