Evening Standard
·23 Januari 2025
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Yahoo sportsEvening Standard
·23 Januari 2025
Two bruised Premier League giants face off on Saturday night
Manchester City welcome Chelsea to town on Saturday night for an intriguing clash between two Premier League giants.
Both have plenty of league titles to their name, but neither are considered contenders this season after topsy-turvy campaigns which are showing few signs of stabilising.
City’s latest debacle saw them let a two-goal lead slip at PSG to lose 4-2 and severely hamper their Champions League hopes.
Chelsea beat Wolves at the weekend but their five-game winless run heading into that match has all but ended their title hopes.
The match will take place at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports.
Live stream: Fans can catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app and website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Malik Ouzia at the ground.
Manchester City's injury woes are easing, but it is a case of as you were for this weekend. Both Nathan Ake and Oscar Bobb are closing in on returns, though this game will come too soon. Rodri is out for the season.
Club captain Kyle Walker has flown to Italy to complete a loan move to AC Milan so will play no part, but January signings Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and Omar Marmoush are all in line to make their debuts.
Enzo Fernandez and Levi Colwill are in contention to return, having missed the win over Wolves. Cole Palmer should face his former team after shaking off an ankle injury scare.
Trevoh Chalobah will surely keep his place after a man-of-the-match performance upon his return, with Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana out for the foreseeable. Romeo Lavia is set to be out for a few weeks. Renato Veiga is set to join Juventus on loan.
This should be a really entertaining game under the lights at the Etihad. Neither team are known to put the brakes on, especially City at home, so Chelsea will sense an opportunity against their leaky defence.
Chelsea, too, have struggled to keep clean sheets of late, so goals should be a guarantee. Can Enzo Maresca get one over on his former mentor? Will City be boosted by their trio of January signings?
Man City 2-2 Chelsea
Man City wins: 67
Draws: 41
Chelsea wins: 71
Man City: 5/6
Draw: 21/10
Chelsea: 11/5
Odds via Betfair (subject to change).