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Chelsea logo
Premier League | Gameweek 16
Dec 8, 2018 at 5.30pm UK
 
Manchester City logo

2-0

Kante (45'), Luiz (78')
FT(HT: 1-0)

How Manchester City could line up against Chelsea

Sports Mole looks at how champions Manchester City could line up for their Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Manchester City will be looking to make it 16 games unbeaten at the start of the season when they take a difficult trip to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening.

The champions could begin the game in the unfamiliar position of second place depending on Liverpool's result earlier in the day, but victory would ensure that they once again top the pile at the end of the weekend.

City were forced to survive a late scare against Watford en route to a seventh straight league win on Tuesday night, conceding just their second away goal all season at Vicarage Road.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Pep Guardiola's side could line up against Chelsea.



Possible MNC XI vs. CHE

Out: Benjamin Mendy (knee), Claudio Bravo (Achilles), Eliaquim Mangala (knee)
Doubtful: Kevin De Bruyne (knee), Sergio Aguero (muscle), Oleksandr Zinchenko (nose), Vincent Kompany (hamstring)

The biggest question for Man City ahead of this match once again centres around the fitness of Sergio Aguero, who has missed the last two games with a muscle injury and remains a doubt for this match.

Guardiola is likely to risk the Argentine if he is close to full fitness, but should that not be the case then the misfiring Gabriel Jesus will lead the line once again.

One player certainly not misfiring this season is Raheem Sterling, and the winger should return to the starting lineup this weekend after being rested against Watford - although Guardiola is spoilt for choice having seen both Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez score in that match.

There are more in-form options in midfield too, but the rotation policy so far suggests that it may be Ilkay Gundogan's turn to come in for Bernardo Silva. Kevin De Bruyne has an outside chance of featuring, but the game may come just too soon for him.

Vincent Kompany was forced off late against Watford and, while the injury is not thought to be serious, Aymeric Laporte is expected to replace the club captain and the second centre-back spot will go to either Nicolas Otamendi or John Stones.

> Click here to see how Chelsea could line up for this fixture

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Barney Corkhill
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Raheem Sterling celebrates with Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva after opening the scoring for Manchester City against Brighton & Hove Albion on September 29, 2018
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


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