Manchester City play host to Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday evening sitting one point adrift of the Blues in the Premier League table.
While City succumbed to a 3-1 defeat to Liverpool before the international break, Chelsea make the trip to the north-west having recorded six successive victories in the top flight.
Manchester City
While losing out to Liverpool has left City nine points adrift of their rivals, Pep Guardiola may feel that his squad can now play without any pressure as they bid to win a third successive crown.
City have long been considered the team to beat in English football but to a certain extent, they can now go about their business as underdogs to the Merseyside giants, something which could prove to be a blessing in disguise.
In the game before the international break, there was not much between the two clubs, with City showing enough to suggest that the setback will not have a long-lasting effect going forward.
Despite Chelsea being the form team in the division, there is an argument that this is the perfect match-up for Guardiola's team as they look to make a statement.
Perhaps the biggest concern for Guardiola is that his side have been below their best in three successive games, with a narrow win over Southampton and a hard-fought draw coming away at Atalanta BC before the visit to Liverpool.
That said, it would have been a different story had City shown a clinical touch during the early stages of those outings, and that is something which Chelsea should be wary of ahead of this clash.
City have had their issues at the other end of the pitch, however, and they will likely have to make considerable improvements to nullify an impressive Blues attack.
Nevertheless, this is the type of game where an early goal can change the dynamic of the match, and you would not back against City running riot if they can breach the Chelsea backline during the opening quarter, much like they did in last season's corresponding fixture .


Chelsea
While Chelsea have had a favourable fixture list in recent weeks, Frank Lampard and his team deserve credit for producing a run of form which has put the club in the mix for the title.
However, this Blues side is still very much a work in progress, and Lampard himself will acknowledge that his emerging team must continue to work hard in order to match the likes of City and Liverpool in the long term.
Nevertheless, despite a significant gulf in class and experience between the teams, the Englishman will be excited ahead of the challenge which awaits his team on Saturday evening.
The 4-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United on the opening day of the campaign is still fresh in the memory, but the humbling at Old Trafford effectively acted as a catalyst for the west Londoners to make the changes required to keep them among the mix at the right end of the table.
Chelsea are far from the finished article at the back, although three of the last four goals which they have conceded have come through their own lack of concentration during the closing stages of matches.
In Lampard's eyes, those lessons have come at the right time, but it is now up to his defensive players to show that they are learning from mistakes which could have resulted in lost points.
Despite the widespread plaudits which have been received for their attacking displays, Chelsea are still wasting too many opportunities, something which cannot afford to happen at the weekend.
To a certain extent, Chelsea are carrying no pressure heading into the contest, but Lampard knows that his players have a chance to move four points clear of City in the table, a margin which would have been regarded as extremely unrealistic a few months ago

Okay, see my signature below for link to stream the match

ogododo:
Battle of 3rd vs 5th

What time is the game please

Donsheddy:


What time is the game please

Na evening for Warri 6:30pm

Goal goal game

Make una provide link sharp sharp no time to waste

Cool

Up Chelsea.
Blues till infinity.
Like for Chelsea
Ignore for man c.

Mancity to win btts. Thank me latter

Chelsea should win, from a Liverpool fan.

If Chelsea win I will buy viju milk or Bobo for the first 5 people that quote me with the hashtag #Agbaya

ogododo:


Na evening for Warri 6:30pm

mad man
Warri and Nigeria time different abi?

fecta:
Chelsea should win, from a Liverpool fan.

If Chelsea win I will buy viju milk or Bobo for the first 5 people that quote me with the hashtag #Agbaya

go sleep

fecta:
Chelsea should win, from a Liverpool fan.

If Chelsea win I will buy viju milk or Bobo for the first 5 people that quote me with the hashtag #Agbaya

#agbaya

Roman army for the win...up blues ...

Chelsea isn’t a threat na.

2-2 draw

I am following the game here oo www.flipscores.com

Wont be watching this match so please nairaland give it to me hot as i monitor the match here step by step.

ReeLoaDead been a while hope we get 3 points easy today.

All away teams are winning today up blues

fecta:
Chelsea should win, from a Liverpool fan.

If Chelsea win I will buy viju milk or Bobo for the first 5 people that quote me with the hashtag #Agbaya

#Agbaya

Ajoboss:
Make una provide link sharp sharp no time to waste

see my signature below for link

Pls who knows where i can stream it live... Help pls... Any link or app?

Ikenna17:
Any links to livestream?

see my signature below for link

Man city 2 vs Chelsea 4

City will be under pressure now that Liverpool and Leicester City have advanced again having win their matches.I am City fan but I doubt if we will still catch up Liverpool and win the League. We still have Chelsea, Arsenal , Man U and Leicester City to play while as Liverpool has played all of them and still on top with big margin.

I will cut off my balls if chelsea got a point in these game. glory glory mau utd, glory glory man utd, glory glory man utd the red devil are matching on. Woo wooo woooo

fecta:
Chelsea should win, from a Liverpool fan.

If Chelsea win I will buy viju milk or Bobo for the first 5 people that quote me with the hashtag #Agbaya

#Agbaya

am a Chelsea fan and sincerely I tink city will be on the riot tonight...they loose today they kiss EPL goodbye....they ave a far better quality to cause Chelsea problems and I tink deg will...a draw will really be a good result for Chelsea