The Blues (Chelsea) host the English champions (Manchester City) at Stamford Bridge on Thursday in the Premier League 2022-23.
With Walker and Cancelo’s potential reintroduction and the City Ground largely lacking in attacking inspiration, Chelsea now prepares to face a Guardiola backline. [World Cup](https://khelnow.com/football/category/2022-fifa-world-cup) break. It’s undeniable who Manchester City’s beating heart is—someone who can expose any team’s weaknesses with a single ball. We believe he will bounce back against Manchester City. Mateo Kovacic should be recalled to the midfield, where he might replace Jorginho rather than the rising Denis Zakaria. American Men’s National Team winger Christian Pulisic helped Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz perform well against Bournemouth, but he struggled against Nottingham.
Chelsea will be without at least six first-team players for their showdown with Manchester City on Thursday night.
[helsea](/topic/chelsea) will be without at least six first-team players for their showdown with [Manchester City](/topic/manchester-city) on Thursday night. [injury](/topic/injury) to his knee in a friendly match in mid-December, Broja will likely be out for the season, while Kante due back from hamstring surgery in late February. [Ruben Loftus-Cheek](/topic/ruben-loftus-cheek) has returned to training but [Graham Potter](/topic/graham-potter) is not expected to bring him in for the upcoming [Premier League](/topic/premier-league) clash.
Graham Potter will be hoping for a response from his players when Chelsea take on Manchester City tomorrow evening at Stamford Bridge.
There is certainly from my perspective to him because he is a fantastic person but also because of what he has achieved as a football and coach. But after it is nice to speak and talk about the game.” And because you’re a human being and you don’t do everything perfectly – and there is always room to improve – it’s not like the people criticising you are 100% wrong. “We still need to wait for the clearances and all those formalities. "I think if you did the research on football – and not just Pep, other people in the game who’ve played against my teams and watched the work I’ve done – there is a general level of respect. We will try in every window to improve, but January is a complicated one because it's the middle of the season. Is that a sign of the relationship and respect Pep has for you? "As much as we want to win – and I don’t want to sound like it’s acceptable to lose, it’s not – but unfortunately part of the game is dropping points, is not succeeding, you’ve got to suffer and get better. They are a top team but we can cause them a problem, we can be ourselves and try to play well and put them under pressure. They are a top team but we have to think about ourselves, how we can do better, how we can take steps forward in our game. So it’s not thinking of it as a kickstart, we focus on the next match, try to improve and try to get better.” It will be a different game from the one we faced [on New Year’s Day] but it will be complicated and tough.
It is the first of back-to-back matches against the Blues, away in the Premier League and home for the FA Cup. City will be keen to get the three points at ...
CD: Since returning from the International break, Chelsea have beaten Bournemouth at home and drawn with Forest away. Our play on the pitch has also remained uninspiring in the few games we’ve had since, and the jury remains out on Graham Potter’s ability to handle a job of this magnitude. Then again, one of the criticisms of Potter has been a lack of consistency, either of selection or style, so we might look different from game-to-game entirely by accident, too, not just on purpose. Injuries remain a massive problem, with the situation not improving tangibly and both Reece James and Wesley Fofana suffering setbacks in their comeback attempts. Dávid Pásztor: Unfortunately, not much has changed at Stamford Bridge, certainly not for the better. City will be keen to get the three points at Stamford Bridge and move closer to EPL leaders Arsenal.
Man City face off against Chelsea in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night.
[Erling Haaland](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/erling-haaland) registered his 27th goal in all competitions in the draw with Frank Lampard's side, but Demarai Gray's wonder strike in the 64th minute condemned [City](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/manchester-city-fc) to just one point. In midfield, Potter has tried several different combinations, but he is expected to name Mason Mount, Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic in his starting line-up. Summer signing Wesley Fofana is still sidelined, so Chelsea should continue with Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly at the heart of defence. The London outfit replaced manager Thomas Tuchel with Brighton boss Graham Potter, but the English coach has failed to have the desired impact so far. [Guardiola](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/pep-guardiola)'s men have been impressive all season and are aiming to retain the Premier League title following the dramatic final-day victory over Aston Villa last term. [Raheem Sterling](https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/all-about/raheem-sterling) could move onto the left wing in order to allow Hakim Ziyech to come in and start on the right flank.
The Blues don't have to wait long until we return to Premier League action once again with Manchester City next to take on Graham Potter's side tomorrow ...
[Raheem Sterling](/en/teams/profile/raheem-sterling) was in full training ahead of potentially facing his former club, as were midfielders [Mateo Kovacic](/en/teams/profile/mateo-kovacic) and [Jorginho](/en/teams/profile/jorginho). [Lewis Hall](/en/teams/profile/lewis-hall), [Christian Pulisic](/en/teams/profile/christian-pulisic) and [Omari Hutchinson](/en/teams/profile/omari-hutchinson) were once again involved.
SportsLine soccer expert Martin Green has locked in his EPL picks and predictions for Chelsea vs. Man City on Thursday.
- Chelsea vs. [Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for the Man City vs. Green has scrutinized the Manchester City vs. He is leaning Under on the goal total and has two other confident best bets and his full breakdown of the match. They beat City 1-0 in the final to win the Champions League just 16 months ago. Chelsea have the fifth-fewest attempts (176), putting 59 on frame (15th). Chelsea's only loss at Stamford Bridge this season came against league leaders Arsenal, and they have allowed just six goals in eight matches in London. The Citizens lead the league with 44 goals and have conceded 16, third-fewest in the EPL. Before locking in any Manchester City vs. After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Both will be looking for a big victory, as City have won one of their past three league matches and the Blues have lost three of five. Manchester City odds.
The wait for the first home game of 2023 is almost over, and it is a big game in the Blues' quest to climb the Premier League table…
As things stand, the Blues are one of just seven host clubs (24 per cent) to have tasted victory on home soil (by beating Bournemouth 2-0) in the 29 matches played since Boxing Day. Among the victories in that run was Man City’s visit to the Bridge on 25 June 2020, which ended in a 2-1 win for the hosts. The only previous teams to have managed that are Blackburn (1993-96) and Arsenal (2021-present). The Republic of Ireland international later compounded his miserable afternoon by skying a penalty, while also volleying a clearance into his own face. For three points at Stamford Bridge we have to go back to June of the Covid-affected 2019/20 season. In fact, since April 2018 the Blues have played 25 fixtures on this day of the week across all competitions, losing only once. That said, the Blues have lost each of the past three meetings with City since our Champions League final success against them in Porto almost two years ago. The summer signing’s first league goal since August was a major positive from Sunday’s draw, as were impressive first minutes back off the bench from [Mateo Kovacic](/en/teams/profile/mateo-kovacic) and from [Hakim Ziyech](/en/teams/profile/hakim-ziyech), who continued his World Cup form to create a potentially match-winning chance that tantalisingly eluded [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang](/en/teams/profile/pierre-emerick-aubameyang). Guardiola started with a 3-4-3 formation against the Toffees and was mildly critical of his players’ performance, suggesting he will look at ‘body language’ in training before selecting a starting 11. Equally, as a coach Pep Guardiola has not lost to any club more than he has the Londoners (eight times). In some of those games the champions misplaced their usual front-foot verve when attacking, and deep-defending Everton’s draw at the Etihad was surprisingly comfortable. Pep Guardiola’s side usually rise to the occasion against the Premier League’s best teams, winning 6-3 at home to cross-town rivals Man United.