Chelsea go to the Etihad Stadium with problems and a Manchester City side that is still alive in the battle for the English top flight and there are enough storylines on Sunday that it feels like much more than a simple league win. Chelsea play their first game since the departure of Enzo Maresca, who has left the managerial position to Under-21 boss Calum McFarlane on a caretaker basis.
Off the field, the departure of Maresca has been at the fore in the build-up. Ongoing questions as to how and why the split occurred and whether it might be connected with external interest, while hanging in the air in the media, were firmly rejected by manager Pep Guardiola, who praised Maresca while denying any involvement. This managerial change will make life very tough for McFarlane in the Chelsea dressing room.
Contrasts on form and on the table are numerous in this match. City are chasing leaders Arsenal, requiring wins for continued pressure on the pacesetters, whereas an upset for Chelsea will boost their position several spots up. Prior to this match, City had remained unbeaten on home turf for the whole season, but they were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw in their last match against Sunderland, with this outcome vindicating the view that the best teams can be stretched if the deficit narrows. In their last match, Chelsea played out an entertaining 2-2 away draw with Bournemouth.
Tactically, this is likely to be a classic Pep test. City will try to maintain possession and work an opening either by overloading and using movement, and Chelsea, under McFarlane, may tread very carefully in the early stages of the match, prioritizing stability and hard work over attacking as a way of ensuring that they aren’t left feeling confidence shattered by an early defeat.
In terms of tactics, one thing that is likely to emerge here is that Calum McFarlane will attempt to create a tight cohesion and then try to catch City on the counter.
The personnel news at kick-off will be important: City will want their best, hungriest XI to close the gap on the leaders, and Chelsea must balance the need for stability with the desire to spark morale in attack. Who starts, who is rested, and whether any players step up with a standout performance will likely decide the tone of the match.
Whatever the outcome, the fixture has produced a riveting weekend subplot: the newly managerless Chelsea trying to show resiliency against the title-chasing Manchester City machine. Supporters can expect intensity, high stakes and maybe a moment or two that shapes the immediate futures of both clubs.