Manchester City vs Chelsea: Preview - Tactics and Possible Lineups

Historically, Jose Mourinho has had the better of Manuel Pellegrini

After having got off to an underwhelming start to their title defence, Manchester City face a stiff Etihad test against this season’s title favorites, Chelsea, on Sunday. The Citizens have garnered 7 points from a possible 12, which sees them 5 points behind the West Londoners who have enjoyed an inch-perfect start to their league campaign.

Jose Mourinho’s side – chock-a-block with pace, power and precision in all areas of the pitch – look like an unstoppable outfit and, in Diego Costa, the Portuguese manager has found the perfect No.9 to aid his long list of ambitions for the 2014/15 season.

However, going into Sunday’s showdown, Chelsea will have their biggest test of the season yet, with Manchester City looking to harness home advantage and dent the first major blow to Costa and co. And, given Mourinho’s predictable tactics in these colossal games, here’s how ‘the happy one’ could plot another victory over ‘the Engineer’, against whom he has enjoyed unbridled success over the years.

How both teams lined up in the corresponding fixture last season?

Back in February, when the title race was heading towards a dramatic culmination, Chelsea went to the Etihad, won 1-0, and breached Manchester City’s 100% home record in the Premier League. Circumstances were different on that fine night in February, as the eventual champions, Manchester City, were missing Fernandinho and Sergio Aguero – two personnel who will be pivotal to the sky blues’ scheme of things on Sunday – and had to field a rather tame outfit that saw Martin Demichelis play as the sole midfield pivot, with Yaya Toure playing ahead of him in the Citizens’ engine room.

Pellegrini deployed his favored 4-4-2 formation, which saw David Silva and Jesus Navas playing on the flanks, while Alvaro Negredo and Edn Dzeko lead the line. With Fernandinho’s defensive insurance missing, and Toure’s reluctance to track back, Manchester City were susceptible to the counter-attack from the West London side, which had Eden Hazard, Willian, Ramires and Samuel Eto’o running Demichelis ragged and exploiting the Argentine’s lack of pace. Albeit Man City made an explosive start to the game, whereby they threatened to go in front early on, Chelsea, after Ivanovic’s 32nd minute wonder strike, didn’t look back.

While Pellegrini played 4-4-2, Mourinho set up his Chelsea side in the 4-2-3-1 system, which had the semblance of 4-3-3 to it. Three of Chelsea’s defensive midfielders – Nemanja Matic, David Luiz and Ramires – had a place in Mourinho’s starting lineup, as they imposed their physical robustness on the game. Ramires played as the right winger, and was on the face of Silva, who played on the left-hand-side for Manchester City, right throughout the game.

Matic, who came to Stamford Bridge from Benfica in January, won his midfield battle against Toure imperiously, and was by far the best Chelsea player on the night. Branislav Ivanovic was on the score sheet for Mourinho’s men, as his left-footed thunderbolt in the 32nd minute ensured that Chelsea remained unbeaten against Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool in the campaign.

How Chelsea and Manchester City could lineup on Sunday?

Manchester City, following their heartbreaking 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, would want to end what has been a grueling 8 days for them, on a winning note against Chelsea. However, Fernando and Jovetic are absentees for the London side’s visit of the Etihad stadium on Sunday, and with Negredo going on loan to Valencia in the summer transfer window, Pellegrini may not play 2 strikers up front. Instead, he would want to play 4-4-1-1, which will give him that extra body in midfield, and make sure that defensive stability is maintained throughout the game.

Fabreggas vs Toure could be a match-deciding midfield tussle

Aguero is expected to start up front for the Citizens, who should have Silva playing as their No.10, with Nasri and Navas rendering attacking dynamism to the Manchester City frontline. Nasri will cut in from his position on the left flank, facilitating for Kolarov or Clichy to bomb forward, thereby creating an overload in Ivanovic’s section of Chelsea’s defence. Navas, on the opposite flank, will look to hold the byline, swing crosses into the box and, most importantly, stretch Chelsea’s backline.

Toure and Fernandinho should start in Manchester City’s engine room, which will have its work cut out against the likes of Fabregas, Matic and Oscar. While Zabaleta should step in for Sagna at right back, it is engrossing to work out whether Gael Clichy retains his place at left ack or Kolarov comes in for Frenchman, if Pellegrini decides to go on the offensive. Given Chelsea’s creative players in Oscar and Fabregas – aided by the pace of Hazard, Schurrle or Willian – Clichy would be my preferred candidate to start at Left-Back, although Kolarov’s offensive threat will be lost.

Formation – 4-4-1-1: Joe Hart (GK), Vincent Kompany(C), Martin Demichelis, Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy; Fernandinho, Yaya Toure, Samir Nasri, Jesus Navas; David Silva and Sergio Aguero.

Chelsea boss Mourinho, in his press conference on Friday, sounded concerned over Costa’s inability to play three games in a week, albeit making it clear that the Brazilian-born hitman will start against the reigning Premier League champions. Given Costa’s prolific goal scoring form this season, which has seen him score 7 goals from 4 games, the former Atletico Madrid striker will be key to Mourinho’s scheme of things on Sunday.

The three men behind him will be the ones who give the Portuguese manager some selection headaches. Fabregas, who has played at No.6 or No.8 predominantly this season, could play at No.10, as it will reprieve him of his defensive duties, and bring a lot of attacking ammunition to Chelsea. Hazard, Chelsea’s new No.10, should play as the Left-Winger and his tussle against Zabaleta will be one of the duels of the match.

Hazard’s dribbling is an asset to Chelsea and Manchester City’s backline, headed by Kompany, will be in for a serious raid from the young Belgian. Schurrle, after his scintillating start against Burnley, has gone off the boil a bit, which could prompt Mourinho to start with Willian who will bring physical robustness into the equation. I expect the Brazilian to start this game, and be positioned on the flank opposite to Hazard’s.

At the heart of Chelsea’s midfield, Matic and Ramires should start as the double midfield pivot, and sit just ahead of Chelsea’s backline. Matic and Ramires could sit back rather deep, as Mourinho could opt for a double decker bus, once again. Felipe Luis started his first game for his new club on Wednesday night against Schalke in the Champions League, but Azpilicueta should return in place of the Brazilian at Left-Back for the visit of Etihad stadium.

Formation – 4-2-3-1: Thibaut Courtois(GK), John Terry(C), Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahil, Cesar Azpilicueta; Nemanja Matic, Ramires; Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, Willian; Diego Costa.

Verdict

Having faced Stoke already this season and, subsequently, learning a harsh lesson, Pellegrini will be better equipped to have outright answers against Mourinho’s drab, defensive tactics. So the notion of ‘bus parking’, if Mourinho does go on to deploy it again, might not work against Manchester City, as it did last season.

But, given Chelsea’s array of attacking threat, with the acquisition of Fabregas and Costa, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mourinho taking the game to Manchester City and impede them at their own attacking game. That, for me, will make this high-voltage game interesting; otherwise, you’re looking at a beautiful game of football disrupted by some negative, putrid tactics of Mourinho.

Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Chelsea