Manchester City vs Chelsea: 5 Players who could have a big impact on the match

#2 Jorginho

Jorginho has been impressive this season

In the 2018 off-season, Chelsea, after the appointment of Maurizio Sarri, quickly moved to acquire Jorginho, with the Italian banking on his compatriot to help ingrain his philosophy on the team. And, though that experiment underwent quite a few trials and tribulations, Jorginho has outlasted Sarri at Stamford Bridge and has probably gotten better since the former manager’s departure.

Often criticised for his propensity to play square passes, Jorginho found it tough to stamp his authority against tougher oppositions last term. In the process, Chelsea suffered as a lot of their offensive moves generally flowed through the midfielder. And, one only needs to look at their performances at the Emirates and the Etihad at the turn of the year to drive the point home.

However, under Lampard, Jorginho has been accorded a more proactive and dynamic role, meaning that he is looking to release the ball quicker and into space. Consequently, Abraham, Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount have thrived, meaning that Chelsea’s attack has seemed in fine fettle.

Yet, the clash against City on Saturday represents the Italian’s litmus test. Months ago, it was at the Etihad that people started questioning the midfielder’s suitability to the Premier League, owing to his slight frame and slight lack of defensive work-rate.

And, courtesy the cyclical nature of football, he has the ideal opportunity to showcase how far he has traversed as a player in the English top-flight when he makes the trip to the blue half of Manchester.