“They are performing well” - Steve Sidwell makes prediction for Manchester City vs Chelsea
Former Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell has predicted a defeat for the Blues when they take on Manchester City this weekend. The two teams will clash in a highly anticipated Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, February 17.
City currently sit second in the standings with 52 points from 23 matches, just two behind Liverpool, who played a game more. Pep Guardiola's men are on a roll, having won each of their last 11 matches and 13 of their last 14 across all competitions.
Mauricio Pochettino's side, meanwhile, have endured a difficult campaign so far and sit 10th in the Premier League with 34 points from 24 matches. They enter this game on a two-match winning streak, but lost twice and drew once in their three contests prior to that.
Given the differences in the two teams' form, Sidwell believes Manchester City will win 2-0 on Saturday. The former midfielder, who played 25 times for the Blues in the 2007-08 season, said on The Peter Crouch Podcast (as quoted by The Chelsea Chronicle):
“City are on the rampage. They are chasing the pack and on the tails. They are performing well. Chelsea, what’s going on there? I’m not sure. There’s still a few hurdles to jump there.
“I’m going to go for a City 2-0 win.”
Manchester City enter this contest on the back of a 3-1 win away to Copenhagen in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 encounter. Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden all got on the scoresheet to put the reigning champions in the drivers' seat.
Meanwhile, Chelsea will come into this game after a 3-1 Premier League win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in their last match.
Jefferson Lerma handed the Eagles a first-half lead before Conor Gallagher leveled things up moments after half-time. Gallagher struck again in stoppage time to give his side the lead before Enzo Fernandez wrapped things up at the death.
Chelsea and Manchester City played out one of the games of the season earlier in the campaign
Saturday will mark the second meeting between Manchester City and Chelsea in the Premier League this season. The two teams clashed at Stamford Bridge back in November last year and played out an absolute thriller.
Erling Haaland handed City a 25th-minute lead from the penalty spot in that contest, but the hosts clawed back through Thiago Silva four minutes later. Raheem Sterling gave the Blues the lead by scoring against his former employers in the 37th minute.
However, Manuel Akanji's stoppage-time header meant the teams went into the tunnel level.
Haaland struck again just two minutes after the restart to put Manchester City 3-2 up. Chelsea responded once again, though, as Nicolas Jackson scored in the 67th minute to make it 3-3.
Pep Guardiola's side thought they had the three points in the bag when Rodri scored via a deflection in the 86th minute. However, Ruben Dias' foul on Armando Broja set the stage for Cole Palmer to level things up in his first match against his boyhood club, having been sold in the summer.
Palmer slotted the ball past Ederson in goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time to secure a point for his team as a brilliant contest ended 4-4.