2 weeks ago
16
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature
The teams are out! Manchester City in sky blue, Chelsea in their first-choice royal. A cracking atmosphere at the Etihad. A big hug between the two managers, who know each other so well. We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.
Enzo Maresca, erstwhile assistant to Pep, speaks to Sky. “I’m not sure Manchester City are low on confidence … they are always difficult to play … the moment everyone thinks they can drop a little bit or are low energy is the moment when they want to show everyone is wrong … it will be a tough game for sure.”
Pep Guardiola talks to Sky Sports. “I hope to see the best of [new signings Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov] … they bring energy … they come fit … I decided to let them play … we have an important game today … we have next Wednesday … next Sunday … one game at a time … see what happens today … we hope to perform well.”
The 3pm kick-offs have finished. Rob Smyth has all the details in Clockwatch, but the most relevant results as far as Manchester City and Chelsea are concerned are Newcastle’s 3-1 victory at Southampton and Bournemouth’s 5-0 shellacking of the previously hard-to-beat Nottingham Forest. All of which has nudged Chelsea down to fifth and City seventh, though the champions can spring back to fourth with a win tonight. Chelsea can make it to fourth this evening as well, but they just require a draw to do so.
Pre-match reading.
Manchester City hand debuts to striker Omar Marmoush and defender Abdukodir Khusanov. They’re two of three changes to the starting XI after the 4-2 capitulation at Paris Saint-Germain, the other player coming in being İlkay Gündoğan. Out-of-sorts captain Kevin De Bruyne and Savinho drop to the bench, while Rúben Dias misses out altogether. City’s third new signing Vitor Reis is on the bench.
Chelsea also make three changes, after their 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Levi Colwill, Enzo Fernández and Jadon Sancho stepping up; Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Pedro Neto and Tosin Adarabioyo dropping to the bench.
The teams
Manchester City: Ederson, Nunes, Khusanov, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo, Marmoush, Foden, Haaland.
Subs: Ortega, Stones, Grealish, De Bruyne, Reis, Savinho, O’Reilly, Lewis, McAtee.
Chelsea: Sanchez, James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella, Caicedo, Fernandez, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho, Jackson.
Subs: Jorgensen, Disasi, Acheampong, Tosin, Gusto, Dewsbury-Hall, Neto, Nkunku, Guiu.
Referee: John Brooks
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Preamble
Rather unexpectedly, this match is probably not going to have a huge bearing on the title race … though you never know. What we do know for sure is that it’s a repeat of the classic 1986 Full Members’ Cup final. So nostalgia fans should get stuck into this ☟☟☟☟☟☟. Kick-off this evening is at 5.30pm. It’s on!
