Chelsea host Manchester City at Stamford Bridge this Sunday, in a game which is being touted as the marquee match of the weekend. The Blues vs Blues tie also throws up an absorbing tactical contest among Jose Mourinho & Manuel Pellegrini, who have contrasting styles of setting up their teams.
So lets take a look at the fixture, shall we?
DATE & TIME: October 27, 2013 at 12:00 EDT; October 27, 2013 at 16:00 GMT; October 27, 2013 at 17:00 BST; October 27, 2013 at 17:00 WAT; October 27, 2013 at 18:00 CAT; October 27, 2013 at 19:00 EAT; October 27, 2013 at 21:30 IST.
VENUE: Stamford Bridge, London, United Kingdom.
TV/STREAMING NEWS: Chelsea TV will stream the game live. The match will be telecast live on Fox Sports 1 in Australia, Sky Sport 1/HD in Austria, SuperSport3 Africa in African sub-continent, Sportsnet Ontario/East/West/Pacific in Canada, Al Jazeera Sport HD1/HD6 in Egypt, Canal+ Sport in France, Sky Sport 1/HD in Germany, ESPN HD & Star Cricket in India, Canal +1/HD/30 in Spain, Al Jazeera Sport HD1 in UAE, Sky Sports 1/HD in UK and NBC Sports Network in USA.
CHELSEA FC SQUAD NEWS: Ashley Cole is fit to be included in match-day squad after recovering from his rib injury. Marco van Ginkel & Tomas Kalas are the only absentees.
Predicted Starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Schuerrle, Oscar, Hazard, Torres.
MANCHESTER CITY FC SQUAD NEWS: City captain & talismanic defender, Vincent Kompany will miss out Sunday’s game. Martin Demichelis is also doubtful.
Predicted Starting XI: Hart, Zabaleta, Nastasic, Garcia, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Touré, Navas, Aguero, Silva, Negredo.
REFEREE: Howard Webb.
TACTICAL OVERVIEW: Manchester City play a 4-2-3-1 formation, but not the one similar to Chelsea’s as Pellegrini prefers to have Aguero & Negredo interchanging the lone frontman’s position with two attacking mideos wide. Lets take a look at the average position of the City players in their 3-1 win against West Ham.

City’s two most influential players have to be David Silva and Yaya Toure, as most of City’s attack are directed through them. If we take a look at a graphic of the passes played by both against West Ham, we’ll see how these two are the magicians behind the threatening runs of Aguero & Negredo and the goal scoring opportunities created by the team.


 
Chelsea will definitely be boosted by the absence of Vincent Kompany in the heart of the City back-line, but the duo of Garcia-Nastatic did an excellent job at West Ham, and are expected to start tomorrow.
Chelsea will look to play on the counter against City, a tactic they have almost perfected over the last few weeks. Chelsea’s two wide men, most probably Hazard & Schuerrle will be instrumental to implement this ploy as their pace could be an advantage against Clichy & Richards, who have a tendency to get caught on counters.
Fernando Torres has looked the best among all three Chelsea strikers & his off-the ball movement(if he starts) will prove to be critical if Chelsea has to unlock the City defense.
If we focus our attention to the action heat-map of Manchester City, we’d notice how the battle in the middle of the park will play a “pivotal” role in determining the course of the game.

Ramires & Lampard, the most used deep midfielders of Chelsea this season, in addition to Oscar(who tends to drop deep), have to effectively deny the trio of Touré, Fernandinho & Silva(who often drifts towards the centre – as suggested by his passing graphic) from taking control of the match.

FORM INDEX: Chelsea – DLWDWW ; Manchester City – WDWLWW
FUN TRIVIA:

• Chelsea have won 11 of their last 12 home matches in Premier League.
• Jose Mourinho is unbeaten in 64 PL matches at Stamford Bridge, winning 50 of them.
• Chelsea & Manchester City are the only clubs still to have 100% home league record this term.
• Petr Cech will equal Deninis Wise’s 445th appearance, becoming the sixth-highest appearance maker for the club.
• Branislav Ivanovic, if selected, will make his 150th PL appearance.
• City have scored more goals(20) than any other Premier League team this season.
• Chelsea have conceded the second least goals in Premier League this term.

IN A NUTSHELL: This match between the title favorites for the 2013/14 season has the promise of an engrossing football battle, on the pitch & in the technical area. Three points for either team will play a role in the league standing come May. With Manchester City recording just one away win this season, Chelsea have an opportunity to gain one up on an important title rival.