Man City vs Chelsea Preview and Betting Tip

The two 2021 Champions League finalists will lock horns in this crucial Premier League clash on Saturday. The hosts are looking to lock up the Premier League title with a win. Chelsea, on the other hand, are in a much more precarious position. They are fully involved in the battle for a Top 4 finish and every point matters for them. City may have lost recently to Chelsea in the FA Cup but they are still 10/11 favs to win this. Tuchel’s Blues are 17/5 and the draw is priced up at 12/5. Can Pep gain revenge for that Cup reversal? Or will Chelsea take a big step towards sealing a Top 4 slot? It has all the makings of an intriguing contest, check out our Man City vs Chelsea preview and betting tip below.

Treble On For City

Man City are on the verge of making history this season. They already have the EFL Cup in the bag and they could add the Premier League title with a win on Saturday. The Citizens will be keen to get the EPL wrapped up as soon as possible so they can focus fully on their Champions League final date with Chelsea in Istanbul (or possibly Birmingham).

Guardiola’s men are in brilliant form since their 1-0 FA Cup semi-final defeat vs Chelsea. They have won five in a row, including the EFL Cup Final and both legs of their UCL semi vs PSG. They have had an extra day to recover from their Champions League exertions in comparison to Chelsea. That could make a big difference on Saturday evening.

For all their brilliance in recent weeks, City have lost 2 of their last 3 at home in the Premier League. Their last EPL match at the Etihad saw them lose 2-1 to 10 man Leeds. John Stones will be City’s only absentee as he is suspended. Laporte will likely replace him and Cancelo could start too. De Bruyne, Mahrez and Foden are firing on all cylinders and if they aren’t at their best on Saturday, Guardiola can call on the likes of Jesus, Torres, Aguero and Sterling. It is a seriously deep squad and they should be able to take care of business against Chelsea.

Big Test For Tuchel’s Blues

How well has Thomas Tuchel done since taking over Chelsea? Under Frank Lampard, it looked like this team was on a road to nowhere. Tuchel has come in and plotted a route to the Champions League final and he is on the brink of achieving a Top 4 finish too. He has made this Chelsea side very hard to break down and he is starting to get the best out of big summer arrivals Havertz and Werner.

Both those players have played integral roles in Chelsea’s recent run of good form. Yes, Werner is prone to missing the easiest of chances but in fairness to him, he doesn’t shy away and he keeps getting into the right positions. Havertz has started to come out of his shell too under Tuchel’s tutelage. He scored both goals in their recent 2-0 EPL win vs Fulham and he was a central figure in the 2-0 win vs Real Madrid.

However, Tuchel’s success so far at Chelsea has been built upon the foundations of a sturdy defence. Since the freakish 5-2 defeat to West Brom Chelsea have conceded just three goals in nine matches. They kept six clean sheets during that run, including vs Man City in the FA Cup semi-final. Rudiger and Silva have been excellent, as has Cesar Azpilicueta. They’ll need to be at their best at the back again if they are to have any chance of stopping Man City.

Man City vs Chelsea Recent Form

Man City vs Chelsea Betting Tip

There is no doubt that Chelsea have been very impressive in recent weeks. They were superb on Wednesday night vs Real Madrid but the worry is how much that epic performance might have taken out of them, both psychologically and physically. City also had a massive match vs PSG but they probably didn’t have to put in as big an effort to beat the Parisiennes. They have had the benefit of an extra day of rest too, a big plus at this busy stage of the season.

I think Chelsea would be more than happy with a point here and they will try to achieve that by shutting City out and keeping a clean sheet. However, Pep Guardiola and his players will be keen to get the win that his team needs to wrap up the Premier League title. It will likely be a tight contest and it might take just one goal to win it. City should be fresher and I think they’ll come out on top. At odds of 21/10, Man City to win to nil is the recommended bet.

Man City vs Chelsea Tips: Man City to win to nil @ 21/10 Betfair

Key Quotes – Man City vs Chelsea

Pep Guardiola – “Right now, there is not one thought about the final as we don’t have the Premier League in our hands. When we have the Premier League, tomorrow in the next weeks, then the focus will be on the Champions League and everything related to it. But I’m so cautious to think if you don’t have it then don’t talk. We still need points.”

Thomas Tuchel – “First of all, when you play against Pep, you know the most difficult game has arrived because he has coached the best teams in Europe. He leaves his footprints and style of play, which is full of courage, flexibility and his teams are always super hungry to win. He transforms all his teams into winning machines.”

Dave Stevos