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Premier League Preview: Chelsea - Manchester City
Terry and Bridge the center of attention.
Feb 26, 2010 6:31:00 AM
By James Daly
Kick-off: Saturday February 27, 2010. 12:45 GMT
Stamford Bridge, London
Stamford Bridge, London
There are two big clashes as Chelsea take on Manchester City on Saturday. The game pits the former Premier League title winners against the league's rich boy contenders.
But all eyes will be on the other head-to-head as John Terry and Wayne Bridge take to the same field for the first time since the revelations of the Chelsea captain's alleged affair with the City left-back's former girlfriend.
Bridge announced on Thursday he couldn't be in the same England dressing-room as Terry, but he will have no choice on Saturday but to take to the same field as his former Chelsea team-mate.
While they won't directly clash - with Bridge at left-back and Terry in the center of Chelsea's defense - any set-pieces could see them in close proximity and no-one would begrudge Bridge a sly dig at his nemesis.
This is Chelsea's game in hand and with Manchester United involved in a League Cup final against Aston Villa on Sunday, the Blues have the chance to stretch their lead to four points.
But Carlo Ancelotti's side have hardly been in championship-winning form of late: losing at Everton, drawing at Hull and struggling to overcome relegation-threatened Burnley.
However, at Stamford Bridge the Blues are almost indestructible - they have only dropped two points at home all season. If City do manage to muster a win, they will be the first team to do so since Arsenal left west London with all three points in November 2008.
But form will not fill City with confidence - Roberto Mancini's side have won just three times on the road this season, and only Fulham have a worse away record in the top ten.
Moreover, after coming through a bruising away defeat at Stoke in the FA Cup, City won't be looking forward to a trip to London for another tough fixture. In fact, the Citizens will just be pleased to see the back of Tony Pulis' men, having played them three times in 10 days.
Chelsea are the side City aspire to be, but they could be in for a bruising encounter. And if he isn't careful, so could John Terry.
FORM GUIDE
Chelsea
Feb 7: Chelsea 2-0 Arsenal (Premier League)
Feb 10: Everton 2-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
Feb 13: Chelsea 4-1 Cardiff (Premier League)
Feb 20: Wolves 0-2 Chelsea (Premier League)
Feb 24: Inter 2-1 Chelsea (Champions League)
Manchester City
Feb 9: Man City 2- Bolton (Premier League)
Feb 13: Man City 1- Stoke (FA Cup)
Feb 16: Stoke 1-1 Man City (Premier League)
Feb 21: Man City 0-0 Liverpool (Premier League)
Feb 24: Stoke 3-1 Man City (FA Cup)
TEAM NEWS
Chelsea
Carlo Ancelotti's biggest injury disappointment is in goal, where stalwart Petr Cech will be missing for a month after tearing a calf muscle in the Champions League defeat to Inter on Wednesday.
Henrique Hilario will deputize between the sticks for only his third league game of the season.
Ashley Cole and Yury Zhirkov remain sidelined so Florent Malouda could continue as makeshift left-back.
Possible line-up: Hilario; Ivanovic, Terry, Carvalho, Malouda; Ballack, Lampard, Kalou, Cole; Drogba, Anelka.
Manchester City
Bad boys Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Adebayor will both miss out after being handed bans for violent conduct.
Vieira kicked Stoke's Glen Whelan where it hurts during the 0-0 league draw, while Adebayor struck the Potters' Ryan Shawcross during the FA Cup defeat on Wednesday.
Roque Santa Cruz is expected to fill Adebayor's void up front, though the returning Argentine Carlos Tevez could feature, having declared on arrival back in England that he is ready to play.
Possible line-up: Given; Zabaleta, Bridge, Lescott, Richards; Kompany, Barry, Ireland, de Jong; Bellamy, Santa Cruz.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
There are two men who will have the world's eyes on them during this clash: Chelsea's John Terry and City's Wayne Bridge.
Citizens boss Roberto Mancini isn't even sure if Bridge will shake Terry's hand when the teams line up for the obligatory pre-match introductions to each other. It could be Bridge's second snub of the week after announcing he is no longer available for England selection.
A decent performance from the left-back could have Three Lions boss Fabio Capello cursing John Terry's wandering eyes even more.
Terry is expected to play his gladiatorial stance as usual but the front page revelations appear to have affected his performances of late with creaks in the usually solid armor.
PREDICTION
Manchester City are poor away from home and Chelsea are immense at Stamford Bridge, so all signs point to a home win.
But Terry has shown his head is not quite screwed on at the moment, and City forward Craig Bellamy could well expose such frailty.
In a highly-charged affair - not the first Terry has been involved in - fans can expect fireworks at both ends of the pitch as Chelsea look to extend their lead at the top of the table.
Chelsea 3 Manchester City 2
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