Man City Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Chelsea

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Man City Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Chelsea image

Manchester City return to the Etihad Stadium to face Chelsea after a successful week in London, where Arsenal were twice put to the sword.

Pep Guardiola secured his first trophy in England after winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday before following that up with a resounding 3-0 win over the Gunners in the Premier League on Thursday.

They now host the Premier League champions knowing a win would move them ever closer to succeeding Antonio Conte's side.


Man City injuries


Raheem Sterling missed both Arsenal clashes with a minor injury, but Guardiola is hopeful that he will be fit to return for Sunday's match.

Fernandinho is unlikely to make it, though, having missed the clash at the Emirates Stadium with a hamstring injury picked up in the Carabao Cup final.

Kyle Walker is a doubt having limped off in the closing stages of Thursday's win, with Guardiola revealing the full-back is suffering from a series of knocks with the season entering its final furlong.

With Gabriel Jesus now back in the fold following his lay-off, Benjamin Mendy is City's only other injured senior player.


Man City suspensions


Fabian Delph sits out the final game of his three-match suspension after seeing red in the FA Cup defeat to Wigan Athletic.


Man City potential starting line-up


If Sterling is indeed fit then it is likely he will come straight back into the line-up, with Bernardo Silva set to be the man to miss out.

Walker's injury could mean a start for Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back, with Danilo switching flanks to the right.

After playing two games in five days Vincent Kompany may be given a rest, with Aymeric Laporte and John Stones waiting in the wings to fill in.

Manchester City XI GFX


Chelsea team news


Alvaro Morata is a doubt with a back problem having struggled on his return to the line-up against Manchester United last week.

David Luiz, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Ross Barkley are all working their way back to full fitness, though this game could come too soon for them.

Ethan Ampadu is also a doubt having limped off against Feyenoord in the UEFA Youth League win over Feyenoord last week.


Best Opta match facts


  • Manchester City won the reverse fixture 1-0 back in September – they’ve done the Premier League double over Chelsea twice before; in 2009-10 when Chelsea won the title, and in 2015-16 when Chelsea were reigning champions.

  • Chelsea won this fixture 3-1 last season, but haven’t won back-to- back league games at the Etihad Stadium since a run of four wins between 2005 and 2008.

  • Man City have won their last 13 Premier League home games, netting at least twice each time. The Premier League record for scoring more than once in consecutive home games is 14, by Liverpool in the 2013-14 campaign.

  • Chelsea have lost three of their last four Premier League games – as many as they had in their previous 23 in the competition.

  • The Blues have won their last three Premier League away games against sides starting that day top of the table, most recently a 3-1 victory at Man City in December 2016.

  • Sergio Aguero has scored five goals in his last four Premier League games against Chelsea.

  • Eden Hazard has had a hand in eight goals in his last seven games against Manchester City in all competitions (4 goals, 4 assists).


TV channel & kick-off time


Kick off is 16:00 GMT (11:00 ET) on Sunday, March 4, and will be shown on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom. It will be shown on NBC in the United States, and on various channels around the world.

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