TEAM NEWS
Manchester City winger Jack Grealish is ruled out after being withdrawn against Copenhagen with a muscle problem.
Bernardo Silva was hurt by a heavy tackle in the same game and will be assessed, while Josko Gvardiol remains out with an ankle injury.
Mateo Kovacic and Sergio Gomez come back into contention after resuming training.
Chelsea are without Thiago Silva, who was forced off against Crystal Palace because of a groin injury.
Fellow defenders Malo Gusto and Levi Colwill are fit despite minor issues in Monday’s victory but Carney Chukwuemeka is absent with a twisted ankle.
Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez is set to return to the matchday squad after missing two months with a knee problem.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Chelsea are winless in seven league and cup games against Manchester City since beating them 1-0 in the 2021 Champions League final.
- November’s 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge ended a run of six consecutive City victories in all competitions in this fixture.
Manchester City
- City are vying for a 12th consecutive win in all competitions and a seventh successive league victory.
- Pep Guardiola’s team are unbeaten in 22 home league fixtures (W18, D4), with the 2-1 defeat by Brentford in November 2022 the only loss in their past 36 top-flight matches at the Etihad Stadium.
- They have gained 17 points from losing positions this season, three short of their highest figure in a Premier League campaign, set in 1993-94. Only Liverpool have come from behind to win more points in 2023-24.
- City are three shy of scoring 600 league and cup goals under Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium. They officially already have 599 in designated ‘home’ games, having netted twice in a Champions League match staged in Budapest in 2021 because of coronavirus complications.
- They have scored in each of their past 44 home fixtures, amassing 135 goals in this run.
- The reigning champions have the chance to record back-to-back Premier League clean sheets for the first time since their opening two games of the season.
Chelsea
- The Blues have won six and lost six of their 12 top-flight matches since drawing 4-4 with Manchester City on 12 November.
- November’s 4-1 win at Tottenham is their only away league victory this season against a side currently above them in the table.
- Mauricio Pochettino has only won one of his 12 league and cup away matches as a manager against Pep Guardiola (D2, L9) – Espanyol’s 2-1 victory at Barcelona on 21 February 2009.
- Chelsea have accumulated a league-high 75 yellow cards this season, including nine for striker Nicolas Jackson.
- Conor Gallagher has netted three goals in Chelsea’s last two matches in all competitions, as many as he managed in his first 75 appearances for the Blues.
- Both Raheem Sterling and Cole Palmer scored for Chelsea against former club Manchester City in November’s reverse fixture – no player to have previously played for City in the Premier League has scored home and away against them in a single season.