All eyes will be on the pre-match handshakes between John Terry and Wayne Bridge at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as Premier League leaders Chelsea take on top-four hopefuls Manchester City.
The game will also attract attention for off field reasons - John Terry set to face Man City defender Wayne Bridge for the first time since allegations of an affair between the former England captain and the ex-girlfriend of Bridge were exposed, flashbulbs are sure to be going off for the exchange of pleasantries before kick-off.
Wayne Bridge made himself unavailable for England on Thursday after a few weeks of incessant media attention, citing an 'untenable and potentially divisive' presence in the squad as the reason for his withdrawal.
Manchester City and Chelsea have clashed nine times in the past five seasons. Chelsea has won eight of these encounters, with Manchester City claiming just one win – the last meeting between the two clubs at the City of Manchester Stadium in December of 2009.
Chelsea will be missing left back Ashley Cole and keeper Petr Cech as both are injured.
Both Emmanuel Adebayor and Patrick Vieira is suspended for this clash, while Carlos Tevez will be available for this game after missing City’s recent fixtures due to family problems.
It’s hard to see Chelsea dropping Saturday’s match. The Blues will be looking to right their ship with minimal fuss, and a City outfit struggling to find form should be an easy target for three points.
Verdict: Chelsea v Manchester City 2-1
0 коментара:
Post a Comment