| Odds via 22bet | |
| Chelsea vs Manchester City | August 18, 16:30 GMT+1 |
| Chelsea odds | 3.9 |
| Manchester City odds | 1.80 |
| Draw | 4.1 |
| Over\Under | Total 2,5: 1.46/2.53 |
Last season, the match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge was a thrilling encounter, ending in a 4-4 draw. Although this match showcased Chelsea’s potent attacking abilities, it also revealed their glaring defensive issues.
For now, Chelsea’s new coach, Enzo Maresca, has struggled to establish a solid defensive strategy. Chelsea conceded 13 goals in six pre-season matches, including four goals from Manchester City, who fielded their reserve team.
However, in their recent friendly match against Inter, Chelsea showed some improvement in their pressing game. Still, their defensive organisation still lacked solidity. Maybe if Inter had been more aggressive, Chelsea might have suffered a defeat instead of securing a 1-1 draw.
On the attacking side, Chelsea possesses a lot of potential with players like Enzo Fernández, Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Cole Palmer, who have the ability to trouble any defense. Additionally, Marc Cucurella also adds value from the left flank, providing additional attacking threats.
Despite the absence of a fully cohesive attacking structure, these individual talents can challenge Manchester City’s defense.
If Chelsea had acquired Victor Osimhen before the season began, a player known for converting chances, we could have expected one or two goals from the hosts.
However, Chelsea’s defensive issues make them the underdog, as they lack high-level defensive players who could, in theory, compete for a spot in Manchester City’s main squad.
| Recent Form | DLLWL |
| Key Players to Watch | Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Moisés Caicedo |
| Team Strengths | Strong attacking line |
| Team Weaknesses | Weak defence |
| Key Injuries and suspensions | Reece James (Red card direct) |
Most of Manchester City’s first-team players have only just returned from vacation, so the team is not yet at full strength.
In the Community Shield match against Manchester United, Guardiola’s team showed a low attacking intensity and a struggled when transitioning from attack to defense.
However, after conceding a goal from Alejandro Garnacho in the 82nd minute, City players managed to increase the tempo and equalize seven minutes later. Savinho’s performance in the second time was of particular interest, as he not only operated on the left flank of the attack but also received the ball on the right and successfully combined with Oscar Bobb.
It’s also worth noting that even without many of their key players, Manchester City scored 11 goals in four friendly matches. Erling Haaland scored five of those goals, including a hat-trick against Chelsea.
Therefore, despite the lack of playing time for many Manchester City players, Guardiola’s team will be the favorite in the match at Stamford Bridge. After the return of their main defenders, the team looks more balanced than Chelsea.
At the same time, during a press conference, Pep Guardiola mentioned that Rodri will be unable to play against Chelsea because he lacks match practice. Without Rodri, Manchester City may find it more challenging to control Chelsea’s counterattacks.
| Recent Form | DWLLL |
| Key Players to Watch | Erling Haaland, Bernardo Silva |
| Team Strengths | Great play in attack |
| Team Weaknesses | Many main players just got back after vacation and don`t have enough game practice |
| Key injuries and suspensions | Oscar Bobb (Lower Leg Injury), Rodri |
On the third of August, these teams met in a friendly match in the USA, and by the 56th minute, Chelsea, with their main lineup, was down 0-4 against a Manchester City side featuring many reserve players.
It is worth noting that in the previous season, Manchester City failed to defeat Chelsea in two EPL matches. The match at Stamford Bridge ended in a 4-4 draw, while the match at the Etihad Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw, with Manchester City levelling the score only in the 82nd minute of the match.
These teams also met in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where Guardiola’s side secured a narrow 1-0 victory in a tightly contested match.
It is also important to remember that after Chelsea’s victory in the 2021 Champions League final, City won in eight face-to-face encounters, and the teams drew twice.
Erling Haaland has scored two goals against Chelsea in three official matches, and he also managed a hat-trick in a recent friendly match against the Blues. However, it’s worth mentioning that the Norwegian forward missed several great opportunities last season at home in an EPL match against Chelsea.
Nevertheless, he is likely to take full advantage of any defensive problems the opponent faces in the future match and will have several excellent goal-scoring chances. Therefore, it is quite reasonable to consider placing a bet on him to score on the 22bet website at odds of just 1.9.
In the last season, the first match between these teams featured a remarkable tactical battle. Manchester City played in a 2-3-2-3 formation, creating numerical superiority in the center of the field and in the half spaces, while Chelsea played in a hybrid 4-2-3-1/3-2-5 formation, with an advantage on the flanks. The pressing from both teams was ineffective.
In the second match in the Premier League, both teams played in a 4-2-3-1 formation with diverse player movements across the field, resulting in numerous goal-scoring opportunities. Chelsea defended quite compactly in a mid-low block for most of the match and efficiently countered, taking advantage of City’s passive counter-pressing.
In the FA Cup semi-final, both teams could have scored 2-3 goals each, but the game was decided by a single goal from Bernardo Silva in the 84th minute. Chelsea played with a mid-high block, which City’s players regularly breached, creating several dangerous moments. However, Guardiola`s team struggled to control the movements of Enzo Fernández and Cole Palmer, who excelled in cutting through the opponent’s defensive lines with their passes.
Based on these trends from the previous season, it’s important for Chelsea to defend as compactly as possible in a mid-low block and utilize fast counterattacks.
On the other hand, Manchester City needs to improve the effectiveness of their counter-pressing, as otherwise, Enzo Fernández and Cole Palmer will consistently create scoring opportunities for their teammates.
Given Chelsea’s significant defensive issues, it might seem logical to predict a victory for Manchester City. However, the hosts posses a wealth of attacking talents capable of effectively beating Guardiola’s team’s pressing and creating dangerous goal-scoring opportunities.
It’s important to highlight that all three matches between these teams last season were very close, with City ultimately scoring only one goal more than Chelsea across those matches.
Furthermore, many City players have not yet reached their peak form, so it’s uncertain how prepared they are to secure a victory in the opening match of the upcoming EPL season.
Therefore, in my opinion, it may be safer wise to opt for the option in which Manchester City does not lose this match, rather than predict an outright win.
Considering both teams’ powerful attacking potential, we can expect more than one goal to be scored in this match.
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