Chelsea vs. Manchester City: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

While it was only preseason, these two sides faced off a couple of weeks ago, with Chelsea pretty much at full strength while CIty started the game with only four or five players who played regular first-team football for them last season yet still ran out convincing winners.

Erling Haaland scored a hat-trick in that game, and with another 27 goals under his belt last season it's easy to imagine him opening his account with a goal or two here.

Moises Caicedo picked up 50 fouls and 11 yellow cards last season so in a game where Chelsea could have difficulties in the middle of the park, he looks a good bet for an early season booking.

Chelsea are dishevelled and uncoordinated off the pitch and the club is being run in a very questionable manner. It's hard to be optimistic about their chances this season while City, as always, will likely contend for the league title. It's hard to look past them here for what could be a comfortable win. Chelsea 1-3 Man City.

The opening weekend of the Premier League is always a moment of great anticipation, and this Sunday's clash between Chelsea and Manchester City promises to be a particularly intriguing affair.

• Date: 18/08/2024
• Kick-off time: 16:30
• Location: Stamford Bridge, West London

Chelsea are a club that has undergone significant upheaval in recent times. Following the enforced sale of the club from Roman Abramovich to the new ownership group, BlueCo, the last couple of years have seen a wild restructuring of the squad and club management. This restructuring has been marked by considerable financial outlay, with the club spending over £1 billion on transfers in the past two years. Despite such a hefty investment, the returns on the pitch have been far from satisfactory.

Last season, Chelsea finished 6th in the Premier League, a position that falls well short of the expectations associated with a club of their stature. For the fans, it has been a tumultuous period, not only due to the underwhelming performances but also because of the departure of many promising academy products. These players, many of whom had shown great potential, have gone on to have excellent careers elsewhere, which has added to the frustration among supporters. The club's strategy of selling off home-grown talent while spending large sums on foreign imports has been met with considerable criticism, especially when the latter have not delivered the expected results.

The departure of manager Mauricio Pochettino this summer is yet another indication of the instability that has plagued Chelsea. Pochettino, who was brought in to stabilise a squad that was both young and inexperienced, managed to achieve some degree of success, particularly in developing individual players. However, reports suggest that the Argentine found the structure of the club unworkable, leading to his exit. His departure has left many questioning the direction in which the club is heading.

Chelsea's new manager, Enzo Maresca, brings a very different philosophy to the club. Known for his rigid positional play structure that prioritises possession, Maresca's approach is a stark contrast to Pochettino's high-pressing, counter-attacking style. Under Maresca, Chelsea will be looking to dominate possession and control games through methodical build-up play. However, whether this approach can be successfully implemented with the current squad remains to be seen.

The transfer window has once again been busy for Chelsea. They have brought in a number of new players, including goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen from Villarreal, defenders Tosin Adarabioyo, Aarón Anselmino, and Caleb Wiley from Fulham, Boca Juniors, and Atlanta United, respectively, and midfielders Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Renato Veiga from Leicester City and FC Basel. In attack, they have added Omari Kellyman from Aston Villa and Marc Guiu from Barcelona. These signings, which have cost the club well over £100 million, are indicative of the club's continued ambition to rebuild and challenge for honours.

However, the sheer size of Chelsea's squad, which is close to 50 players, raises questions about how Maresca will manage to keep everyone happy and maintain squad harmony. The potential signing of Wolves winger Pedro Neto and young striker Samu Omorodion from Atlético Madrid would only add to this challenge.

Additionally, the sale of academy products like Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall, and Omari Hutchinson, along with the departure of experienced players like Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, and Malang Sarr, further underscores the club's strategy of turnover. The possible sale of Conor Gallagher to Atlético Madrid, another academy player who was one of Chelsea's standout performers last season, has been met with divisive opinions among the fanbase.

In contrast to the turbulence at Chelsea, Manchester City represent a model of continuity and success. Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, City have established themselves as the dominant force in English football, securing their fourth Premier League title in a row last season. Such an achievement is unprecedented in English football and is a testament to the consistency and quality that Guardiola has instilled in his team.

City's approach in the transfer window has been much more subdued compared to Chelsea. They have brought in Savinho, a winger who impressed on loan at Girona last season, while allowing several young players such as Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Sergio Gómez, Tommy Doyle, and Yan Couto to leave. This quiet activity in the market is a reflection of the stability within the squad and the confidence in the existing players to continue delivering success.

One of the most exciting aspects of City's upcoming season is the potential emergence of several young players. Norwegian midfielder/forward Oscar Bobb is expected to play a significant role this season, having impressed during pre-season and in periods last season. Similarly, James McAtee, who has spent the last two seasons on loan at Sheffield United, has caught Guardiola's eye and is poised to contribute more regularly to the first team.

There are also reports suggesting that striker Julian Álvarez is close to signing for Atlético Madrid. If this move materialises, it would open up more playing time for the likes of Bobb and McAtee, further underlining City's commitment to integrating youth into their senior squad.

Despite these potential changes, the core of City's squad remains intact, and they will once again enter the season as title favourites. Guardiola's meticulous approach and the team's understanding of his tactics make them a formidable opponent for any side in the league.

This game will be aired live to all subscribed U.K. viewers on Sky Sports Main Event.

Chelsea Team News:

Chelsea will likely hand a competitive debut to Filip Jörgensen, who will start between the sticks.

Reece James is suspended following a red card at the back end of last season, so Malo Gusto will likely start at right-back.

Youngster Romeo Lavia could start at the base of the midfield after an injury-hit first season at the club, while Cole Palmer will likely not be fit enough to start after taking little part in preseason following England's Euro 2024 campaign.

Predicted lineup: Jörgensen; Gusto, Colwill, Badiashile, Cucurella; Caicedo, Lavia; Madueke, Enzo Fernández, Nkunku; Jackson.

Man City Team News:

City are coming into this game with several first-team players having barely featured in preseason. Kyle Walker, John Stones, Rodri & Phil Foden look very likely to miss out having not played a minute of football since the Euro 2024 final.

Jack Grealish also missed the Community Sheild final and is a doubt for this one.

Predicted lineup: Ederson; Lewis; Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Kovačić, Nunes, De Bruyne; Bernardo, Haaland, Doku.

Chelsea's end to last season was very good results-wise, with the club winning all of their final five games of the season. The Blues registered wins against Tottenham Hotspur (2-0), West Ham United (5-0), Nottingham Forest (3-2), Brighton & Hove Albion (2-1) and Bournemouth (2-1).

Preseason, though, has not gone well for Chelsea, with Maresca's side drawing 2-2 with Wrexham, losing 1-4 to Celtic, beating Club América 3-0, losing 4-2 to Manchester City and losing 2-1 to Real Madrid.

Manchester City, as they always do, ended last season in imperious fashion, winning all of their final five league games of the campaign. City beat Nottingham Forest (2-0), Wolverhampton Wanderers (5-1), Fulham (4-0), Tottenham (2-0) and West Ham (3-1).

City also haven't had much luck in preseason, but they've largely been using a team of academy players with many of their first-teamers unavailable following deep runs in international tournaments this summer. Guardiola's side lost 3-4 to Celtic and 2-3 to Milan, before drawing 2-2 with Barcelona and beating Chelsea 4-2.

City beat rivals Manchester United in the Community Shield at Wembley at the weekend, with Bernardo Silva netting a late equaliser off the bench, taking the game to penalties where City ran out 7-6 winners.

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