Premier League: Chelsea First for the Champions

Chelsea vs Manchester City

Manchester City begin the defence of their Premier League title on Sunday in a mouth-watering clash away to Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca makes his debut as Blues boss while Pep Guardiola begins his eighth campaign in charge of the Sky Blues and he’s seeking an incredible seventh Premier League title. The two teams met in a pre-season friendly in Ohio which the Sky Blues won 4-2 and it hasn’t been an easy summer for the new Chelsea head coach.

Maresca will hope he can bring the success he had at Leicester to Stamford Bridge and he knows his opposite number well, working as an assistant to Guardiola for a year in 2022. As Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta will testify; you can lean from the master but beating him is an entirely different prospect.     

Premier League: Chelsea vs Manchester City is the pick of the weekend’s fixtures and it’s a game fans of all the title hopefuls will be watching; in the hope that the hosts can spring a surprise.

 

Talking Points

Can Chelsea learn quickly enough?

You couldn’t have picked a tougher fixture for Maresca to cut his teeth on than the reigning four times champions; and he had an indication just how difficult it can be when the two teams met in the USA. Pre-season hasn’t gone well for the Blues with just one win and heavy losses to Celtic and Real Madrid as well as Manchester City. And Chelsea can not afford to start slowly. They were out of the friendly against the champions within five minutes as Erling Haaland helped himself to an early double. The Norwegian was at his clinical best and if Chelsea give him as much space on Sunday it could get messy.

There has been a rush of new players into Chelsea (as usual) and new signings Pedro Neto, Filip Jorgensen and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will all be hoping to play a part in this opener. But the Blues are without influential captain Reece James who is suffering from a hamstring strain and last season’s stand in skipper Conor Gallagher looks bound for Atletico Madrid. But there could be better news from striker Nicolas Jackson who came through a substitute appearance in a 1-1 draw with Inter Milan last week. He looks to have shaken off an ankle injury and should be fit to start.       

 

Could this season be Pep’s swansong?    

With Liverpool and Arsenal backed to push the Sky Blues the hardest this season it could be a fascinating campaign; but the champions will take some deposing and there is a question around the future of their most successful manager of all time. Both Pep Guardiola and midfield genius Kevin De Bruyne are in the final year of their contracts and it remains to be seen whether either or both will extend their stay in Manchester, so there may be an even bigger incentive for the Sky Blues this season.

City will be near to full strength with the England trio of Kyle Walker, Phil Foden and John Stones all back in full training alongside Euro 2024 winner Rodri, though Oscar Bobb could be missing after he picked up an injury in pre-season and Jack Grealish remains sidelined. The Sky Blues have already won a trophy this season beating Manchester United to win the Community Shield last weekend when new signing Savinho impressed, and he could be in line for a debut in West London.

The champions are full of confidence and Guardiola’s men are ready for the challenge.  

 

History

The Blues have the very slightest edge in the head to head Chelsea vs Manchester City results with 29 victories to 28 in all competitions in the Premier League era. Last season this fixture ended in a 4-4 draw in one of the most exciting clashes of the campaign. Cole Palmer hit a stoppage time penalty to deny his ex employers all three points.     

The Blues were unbeaten in their last ten games at Stamford Bridge last season, but then Manchester City are unbeaten away in 16 matches. The Chelsea vs Manchester City betting odds back a City win and with a stronger pre-season behind them I’m with the Sky Blues too.  

 

Betting Tip

At a SBOTOP price of 1.80 Guardiola’s side are odds on to start with a win, while Chelsea have decent hopes of an upset priced at 3.54 to draw and 3.42 to win. Maresca has a huge challenge this season and this game will not decide anything…which is probably a good thing for the Blues boss.

   

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