Match Preview
Man City v Chelsea
Team News
Adrian Mutu is set to return to the Chelsea squad for the trip to Manchester City.
The Romanian striker missed Wednesday night's Champions League victory in Stuttgart with a thigh injury but may return to partner Hernan Crespo up front.
Damien Duff could earn his first start of the year after coming off the bench in Germany.
Defender Daniel van Buyten is set to return to the City side.
Van Buyten, on loan from Marseille, missed the victory against Bolton after suffering a groin injury while on international duty with Belgium.
Midfielders Joey Barton and Paul Bosvelt are available again after being freed from suspension.
Team Facts
MANCHESTER CITY entertain high riding Chelsea relieved to have notched a first win in 15 Premiership matches with the 1-3 success at Bolton last Saturday. Now Kevin Keegan's club must attempt to improve on a run of seven successive draws at home - five of which have been in the Premiership - the longest such sequence of any club in home top flight games this season.
City have been beaten by Chelsea on the last five occasions they've met in the Premier League, the Londoners scoring a total of nine goals without reply in the last three. City are striving for a first ever home Premiership victory over the Blues.
The Light Blues have won only two home Premiership games this season and find themselves 11 places and 28 points inferior to Chelsea, four places and four points above the relegation zone. The Citizens' only maximum in 13 Premiership engagements with the Londoners was 2-4 in their first Premiership visit to Stamford Bridge on 9 January 1993.
CHELSEA return to the domestic game after the 0-1 away victory over Stuttgart in the Champions League on Wednesday, and successive 2-1 defeats by Arsenal that put them out of the FA Cup, and according to manager Claudio Ranieri, for the moment out of the title race. They go to the City of Manchester stadium, nine points off the pace, and two points behind runners-up spot.
The Londoners have lost only twice on the road in the Premiership and have won their last three against Leicester (0-4), Blackburn (2-3) and Portsmouth (0-2). The tally of 55 points is five points more than their previous best after 26 games of a Premier League season in 1998/99 when they went on to finish third.
Chelsea are aiming for a fifth successive top flight victory on Manchester City turf. They won 0-3 last season, courtesy of a brace from an inspired Gianfrano Zola and a cracker from Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who's scored five Premiership goals against City and three in the last three encounters with them. Chelsea are chasing a third successive 'double' over City, a fourth in the Premiership and ninth against them since the first League meeting in 1907.
SEQUENCES/RECENT FORM
MANCHESTER CITY
14th 27 points
Highest achievable at the final whistle: 14th
Lowest could fall: 16th
Not won consecutive Premiership games this season.
Not recorded back-to-back League victories in 29 games since Spurs (a) and Sunderland (h) on 18 and 21 April.
Not won in 10 at home in all competitions (eight draws, two defeats).
Drawn five and lost two Premiership games at the City of Manchester stadium since beating Bolton 6-2 on 18 October.
Lost the lead most often in top flight games (eleven times).
According to official figures, fired more shots on target than any other club in Premiership matches this season (212).
Next it's the eagerly anticipated home derby with Manchester United, then a trip to Leeds and a home clash with Fulham.
CHELSEA
3rd 55 points
Highest achievable at the final whistle: 2nd
Lowest could fall: 3rd
Not suffered back-to-back Premiership defeats this season.
It's 35 games since Chelsea last suffered consecutive top League losses - against Blackburn (h) and Newcastle (a) on 22 February and 1 March.
Won 98 games in all competitions under Claudio Ranieri.
Conceded 297 all-time Premier League goals away from home.
Already 'doubled' Leicester and Portsmouth.
Won nine away Premiership games. No clubs has won more on the road, but Arsenal and Manchester United have also registered nine.
Recorded 14 clean sheets in the top League - more than any other club.
Failed to score only once in away League matches (0-0 at Birmingham on 14 October).
Scored in 23 of their 26 top division matches. Arsenal have found the net in 24.
Their 47 League goals have been netted by 14 different players. Only Blackburn have more scorers in this top flight campaign (15).
Following this, its the home leg with VfB Stuttgart in the Champions League, then a League visit to Bolton and a west London derby home to Fulham.
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME:
Manchester City 0-3 Chelsea
19 October 2003 - Ref: Dermot Gallagher
Chelsea scorers: Zola 69, 84, Hasselbaink 85
THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE:
Chelsea 0-1 Manchester City
25 October 2003 - Ref: Phil Dowd
Chelsea scorer: Hasselbaink 34
HEAD TO HEAD TOTALS
League: Man City 38 wins, Chelsea 44, Draws 35
Prem: Man City 1 win, Chelsea 9, Draws 3
HEAD TO HEAD at Man City
League: Man City 26 wins, Chelsea 16, Draws 16
Prem: Man City 0 wins, Chelsea 5, Draws 1
Teams
Manchester City (from): James, Dunne, Distin, van Buyten, Tarnat, Wright-Phillips, McManaman, Sinclair, Sibierski, Barton, Bosvelt, Macken, Fowler, Arason, Jihai, Negouai, Jordan, Elliott, McCarthy.
Chelsea (from): Cudicini, Johnson, Terry, Desailly, Gallas, Melchiot, Bridge, Lampard, Makelele, Geremi, Parker, Gronkjaer, Cole, Duff, Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen, Crespo, Mutu, Sullivan, Ambrosio.
Referee(click on referee): Rob Styles (Waterlooville)
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