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PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: MANCHESTER CITY V CHELSEA

/noticias.info/ Even if they have little else to play for, Chelsea's weekend opponents will be wishing to banish the memory of their last visit to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton prepare for a first away day at Man City managed by Sven.

Rick recalls the early season reverse fixture.


Let's cast our minds back to happier days: this season's 6-0 thrashing of Saturday's opponents shortly before Hallowe'en at the Bridge.

Okay, if their goalkeeper Joe Hart had wider shins it might not have been such a horror show for him, and if Spanish left-back Javier Garrido is ever to play that irresponsibly again, we would like to book the performance for this weekend please.

Back then high-flying City had become the first side in six years other than Arsenal or Manchester United to arrive at the Bridge in a higher league position than Chelsea. But the Blues' football flowed, the Sven's men were overwhelmed, three different strikers scored, as did two midfielders, and the all Portuguese-speaking defensive backline (including Paulo Ferreira at left-back) looked impermeable.

So much for the pleasure zone. As we get to the business end of the season, consistent defensive frailties are emerging that Sven Goran Eriksson will be looking to exploit.

He would feel more confident of doing so was City's recent scoring record so poor. They have only scored in two of their last six games, and the last time a striker scored from open play for the Swedish manager was in the Manchester derby back on 10 February.

Since that remarkable 2-1 triumph at Old Trafford, City have won just a single match. The team they beat, 2-1 at Eastlands, was Tottenham. Spurs had just been turfed out of Europe; City still felt they could qualify for next season's overseas campaign. But Eriksson's skilfully assembled team has fallen away since.

Their most recent performance was a 1-3 defeat by relegation-haunted Birmingham City, who were also reduced to ten men by the sending-off of Franck Queudrue. The Mancunians' midfield of Dietmar Hamann and Gelson was ineffectual and their centre-backs, Nedum Onuoha and Richard Dunne, found Brum striker Mauro Zarate's pace and sharpness too hot to handle that day.

'If we want to speak about Europe,' warned the Swede, 'we can't lose as many balls as we did today. We must be better than that with Chelsea coming to Manchester next.'

While the stories that emerged from his England dressing room suggest Eriksson is more likely to read the matchday programme than the riot act in the dressing room, he has publicly suggested City would accept an offer to enter the Intertoto Cup - football's equivalent of picking the mother-in-law up at the airport.

That early season competition would mean curtailed holidays for the players and preseason training in June.

Favouring a 4-4-2 formation, with Micah Richards injured Eriksson has kept a pretty consistent defensive starting line-up each week - Hart in goal, the Croatia right-back, Vedran Corluka, Onuoha, Dunne and Garrido. He generally likes to make one or two changes in midfield and upfront each week to maintain freshness.

With the influential Martin Petrov suffering from flu and highly-rated youngster Michael Johnson not having started since his injury against Bolton, Chelsea should face veteran holding midfielder Hamann, despite his discomfort when harassed by Birmingham's deep-lying forward last weekend, and the more mobile box-to-boxer Gelson.

City will expect much from left-sided set-piece danger Elano and his right-sided counterpart Stephen Ireland, as well as the pacy, awkward Benjani. The Zimbabwean scored Pompey's first-ever Premier League goal against the Blues last season. Other frontline options include the experienced Darius Vassell and misfit Emile Mpenza.

City enjoyed a 100 per cent record in their first nine home games before drawing with Lancashire neighbours Blackburn the day after Boxing Day; they've lost twice, drawn four times and won once at the City of Manchester Stadium since.

As Arsenal lock horns again with Liverpool in the early kick-off and United visit Middlesbrough the following day, there is an opportunity to make inroads this weekend. Chelsea, with more than a shortened time on the beach to play for, must put Turkey behind them and bring home all three points.


MANCHESTER CITY V CHELSEA - Paul Dutton with all the stats for Saturday.

Chelsea have lost only two of our last 18 league matches at Maine Road and the City of Manchester Stadium. City's win in 2004 is their only one in 10 since the Premier League started in 1992. Of our other nine meetings there we have won eight and drawn one.

Nicolas Anelka's 11th minute penalty in October 2004 at Eastlands inflicted our only defeat of our first Premiership winning-season.

In 21 games between the clubs since the Premier League started Chelsea have won 15, City have won two and there have been four draws, Chelsea goals 39, City goals 11.

Manchester City are the only club to achieve the double over Manchester Utd this season.

Chelsea are on the longest current unbeaten run in the Premier League of 15 matches since the defeat at the Emirates including seven away from home (five wins, two draws).

Only Manchester Utd (15), Arsenal (12) and Chelsea (11) have won more games at home than City's 10.

Having won their first nine games in the Premier League at Eastlands, Manchester City have only won seven from a possible last 21 home points including one win in seven. Their hopes for a Uefa Cup place are fading, as they stand ninth, eight points behind fifth-placed Everton.

Chelsea have the best away record in the Premier League with 33 points from 16 games having won at Reading, Bolton, Middlesbrough, Wigan, Derby, Blackburn, Fulham, Birmingham, West Ham and Sunderland, drawn at Liverpool, Portsmouth and Tottenham and lost at Arsenal, Aston Villa and Man Utd.

Man City's league record at Eastlands this season is won 10 (Derby 1-0, Man Utd 1-0, Aston Villa 1-0, Newcastle 3-1, Middlesbrough 3-1, Birmingham 1-0, Sunderland 1-0, Reading 2-1, Bolton 4-2, Tottenham 2-1), drawn four (Blackburn 2-2, Liverpool 0-0, West Ham 1-1, Wigan 0-0) and lost two (Arsenal 1-3, Everton 0-2).

Our away Premier League record at Man City in full is as follows:
1992/93 Chelsea 1-0
1993/94 Drew 2-2
1994/95 Chelsea won 2-1
1995/96 Chelsea won 1-0
2000/01 Chelsea won 2-1
2002/03 Chelsea won 3-0
2003/04 Chelsea won 1-0
2004/05 Man City won 1-0
2005/06 Chelsea won 1-0
2006/07 Chelsea won 1-0

We have been beaten five times (Man Utd away, Arsenal away, Tottenham at Wembley, Barnsley away and Fenerbahce away) in 44 games in all competitions under Avram Grant, three of which have come in the last 10.

Chelsea have played 52 games in all competitions winning 33, drawing 13 and losing six. We have scored 90 goals, conceded 37 and have kept 28 clean sheets. We have failed to score on 10 occasions.

City's last six games
Feb 25 Everton (h) L 0-2
Mar 1 Wigan (h) D 0-0
Mar 8 Reading (a) L 0-2
Mar 16 Tottenham (h) W 2-1
Mar 22 Bolton (a) D 0-0
Mar 29 Birmingham (a) L 1-3

Man City have played 39 games in all competitions this season. They have won 17, lost 11 and drawn nine scoring 43 goals, conceding 42, have kept 15 clean sheets and have failed to score on 12 occasions.

Manchester City lost 3-1 against relegation threatened Birmingham last weekend with Elano scoring City's consolation from the penalty spot after Benjani was brought down in the box. Team Hart; Jihai, Onuoha, Dunne (c), Garrido; Vassell (Caicedo 59), Fernandes, Hamann (Geovanni 72), Ireland; Elano, Benjani (Mpenza 81).

Premier League scorers:
Man City (37): Elano 6 (1 pen), Bianchi (now on loan to Lazio) 4, Petrov 4, Vassell 4, Geovanni 3, Ireland 3, Fernandes 2, Johnson 2, Mpenza 2, Benjani 1, Etuhu (now on loan at Leicester) 1, Onuoha 1, Sturridge 1, own goals 3 (Riggott, Middlesbrough, Michalik, Bolton, Nelsen, Blackburn).
Chelsea (56): Lampard 10, Drogba 8, J Cole 7, Kalou 6, Ballack 4, Essien 4, Shevchenko 4, Alex 2, Belletti 2, Pizarro 2, Wright-Phillips 2, Anelka 1, Carvalho 1, A Cole 1, Malouda 1, Terry 1.

Elano is City's leading scorer in all competitions with eight. Frank Lampard heads Chelsea's scoring chart with 17 and is looking to achieve 20 goals for the third successive season following his 19 in 2004/05.

In the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge in October, Chelsea ran out 6-0 victors with goals from Essien (16), Drogba (31 and 56), J Cole (60), Kalou (75) and Shevchenko (90). It is Avram Grant's biggest win to date.

Top of the Premier League after 32 games
Man Utd 76 pts (+53)
Chelsea 71 pts (+33)
Arsenal 70 pts (+36)
Liverpool 62 pts (+32)
Everton 57 pts (+21)

The race for the Premier League
Remaining games
Sat Apr 5
Arsenal v Liverpool (12.45pm)
Man City v Chelsea (3pm)
Sun Apr 6
Middlesbrough v Man Utd (1.30pm)
Sun Apr 13
Man Utd v Arsenal (4pm)
Mon Apr 14
Chelsea v Wigan (8pm)
Thur Apr 17
Everton v Chelsea (8pm)
Sat Apr 19
Arsenal v Reading (3pm)
Blackburn v Man Utd (3pm)
Sat Apr 26
Chelsea v Man Utd (12.45pm)
Mon Apr 28
Derby v Arsenal (8pm)
Sat May 3
Arsenal v Everton (3pm)
Man Utd v West Ham (3pm)
Newcastle v Chelsea (3pm)
Sun May 11
Chelsea v Bolton (3pm)
Sunderland v Arsenal (3pm)
Wigan v Man Utd (3pm)

There are no suspensions on either side.

City's best season in the Premier League was in 2004-05 when they missed out on a Uefa Cup place by finishing eighth. Joe Mercer took them to their last League Championship in 1968. City's last trophy was the League Cup in 1976.

The referee is Chris Foy. Chelsea have scored ten and conceded one in the two games he has officiated this season (Hull City and Derby County).

Chelsea's overall record against Man City in all competitions is: played 134, won 56, drawn 36, lost 42.

Head-to-head in the league at Manchester City: played 62, won 19, drawn 16, lost 27.

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Manchester City 0 Chelsea 1
Premiership, Wednesday March 14th 2007, City of Manchester Stadium
Man City (4-4-2): Isaksson; Richards, Dunne (c), Distin, Ball; Jihai (Miller 62), Barton, Hamann (Dabo 79), Ireland; Mpenza. Vassell (Samaras 72).
Manager Stuart Pearce.
Booked Hamann, Dunne, Richards
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Geremi, Carvalho, Terry (c), A Cole; Ballack, Makelele (Diarra 90+2), Lampard; Robben (Wright-Phillips 77), Drogba, Kalou.
Manager Jose Mourinho.
Booked Drogba, Ballack
Scorer Lampard (26 pen)
Referee Alan Wiley.
Crowd 39,429.
Lampard scored his 20th goal of the season. Terry returned after three games out following his League Cup final head injury. notas_de_prensa_archivo