Last season’s Champions League finalists face off at Stamford Bridge on Saturday morning with Pep Guardiola looking to end what could yet become a hex that Thomas Tuchel holds over him in the English game. Chelsea won all three meetings with Manchester City last season after appointing their current manager — including Europe’s showpiece final in Porto — and have begun the new season in impressive form. They will be looking to keep that up on home soil and to inflict on City their worst start to a Premier League campaign since 2013.
Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
Viewing information
- Date: Saturday, Sep. 25 | Time: 7:30 a.m. ET
- Location: Stamford Bridge — London
- TV: NBCSN | Live stream: fuboTV (try for free)
- Odds: Chelsea +170; Draw +220; Man City +170 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
Storylines
Chelsea: Tuchel said on Tuesday that Edouard Mendy faces a “race against pain and time” to be fit for Saturday’s game having missed the Premier League victory over Tottenham the previous week, but it is at least fair to ask whether Chelsea might be able to cope if their first choice goalkeeper is unavailable and Kepa Arrizabalaga plays instead. The Spain international kept a clean sheet away to Spurs and though he was beaten by an outstanding Cameron Archer header in the EFL Cup win over Aston Villa he made several crucial saves during the match and in the penalty shootout that followed.
Remarkably his parry of Marvelous Nakamba’s effort meant that the much maligned Kepa now holds Chelsea’s record for most penalty shootout saves, eclipsing Petr Cech’s record with his seventh such block. Considering Manchester City’s questionable record from 12 yards, the world’s most expensive goalkeeper might not be the worst option at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester City: After three straight losses to Tuchel, the assumption heading into Saturday’s game is that Pep Guardiola will feel compelled to try something radically different once more. The suggestion that he “overcomplicates” games against top opposition can sometimes be thrown around a little too easily, not least when he was criticized for not playing a natural striker in the Champions League final, the denouement to a season City had dominated without a natural striker.
More significant might be what happens at the base of midfield. It was there that Guardiola kept changing plans in meetings with Chelsea and perhaps the most significant mistake he made in Porto was to entrust the role to Ilkay Gundogan, who had excelled for most of the season as a late-arriving addition to City’s penalty box attack. Rodri returned to training this week after muscle issues, his presence in front of the back four could be vital in shutting down the opponent’s avenues to goal.
Prediction
Any result seems plausible for two of the best teams in the world but Chelsea have a swagger to them, particularly against City, that might just swing this game in their favor. PICK: Chelsea 2 Manchester City 0
