Stones, Laporte, Rodri and Gundogan to face late fitness tests
Chelsea vs Manchester City
Competition: F.A. Premier League
Date: 12.30pm, Saturday 25th September 2021
Venue: Stamford Bridge, West London
Referee: Michael Oliver Assistants: S Burt, S Bennett Fourth Official: R Jones VAR: D England
Odds: Chelsea 17/10, Draw 7/4, City 11/5
TV: BT Sport 1
Chelsea
Manager: Thomas Tuchel
Squad (from): Arrizabalaga, Bettinelli, Mendy, Rudiger, Alonso, Christensen, Silva, Chalobah, Chilwell, James, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Niguez, Barkley, Ziyech, Havertz, Lukaku, Werner, Hudon-Odoi
Injured: Mount, Pulisic
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Form guide: DWWWD
Manchester City
Manager: Pep Guardiola
Squad (from): Ederson, Steffen, Carson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Ake, Laporte, Cancelo, Mbete, Wilson-Esbrand, Gundogan, Grealish, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Silva, Fernandinho, Foden, Sterling, Jesus, Torres, Mahrez
Injured: Zinchenko
Doubtful: Stones, Laporte, Rodri, Gundogan
Suspended: Mendy
Form guide: WWWDW
City have injury doubts over a number of players, with manager Pep Guardiola unable to confirm who will be available for Saturday's trip to Chelsea. Aymeric Laporte, John Stones, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Oleks Zinchenko will be assessed before the game.
“We still have a few injuries,” he said at his pre-match press conference.
“Some of them came back a little bit in training and tomorrow we will decide if they are ready to play or not.
“Not all of them [are in contention]. Some of them come back to training today, but we need to see how they react and tomorrow we will see.”
Chelsea have beaten City in the last three meetings between the sides, including last season's Champions League final, but Guardiola ruled out changing his approach.
“We prepare the game like we prepare Southampton and like before in the previous games,” he added.
“Try to read what they are and what we have done in recent games against Chelsea under Tuchel. Every game is a new challenge, a new opportunity to learn, improve and do better.
“It’s not a final like in the FA Cup and the Premier League was already done. Of, course the Champions League is massive. We try to learn.
“This is a new competition. It’s one more game. We prepare the game like the strong points we have and see what we can do to be better.
“That’s the mindset we have. It will be the same against Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool before the international break.”
City won their last away game at Stamford Bridge 3-1, with Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne scoring for the Blues. Overall City have won 59 of the 169 games played against Chelsea with 39 draws and 71 defeats.
Predicted line-up: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Grealish, Foden, Jesus
Score prediction: Chelsea 2 City 1