Manchester City vs Chelsea

Etihad Stadium plays host to a mammoth FA Cup third-round tie between familiar Premier League foes Manchester City and Chelsea.

Manchester City squeezed past Chelsea in midweek Premier League action as Riyad Mahrez’s second-half strike at Stamford Bridge made the ‘Cityzens’ the first side to beat the ‘Blues’ in four consecutive H2Hs ‘to nil’ since Bolton Wanderers in 1960. Pep Guardiola’s men have already halted Chelsea’s League Cup round this season, overcoming them 2-0 in November, though their recent home form cannot inspire much confidence. Except for a 3-2 beating of Liverpool in the previous League Cup round, the reigning Premier League champions have gone winless in two of their last three competitive home outings (D1, L1). That said, they’ve won five of their six most recent home H2Hs against Chelsea, all competitions included (L1).

In the meantime, Chelsea’s home league loss to Man City last time out may have condemned them to a non-Champions League finish at the midway point of the season. As such, growing injury problems could force the ‘Blues’ to drop their FA Cup ambitions and focus on grinding their way back into the Premier League top-four race. Such a decision may see them fail to make it out of the competition’s third round for the first time after 24 seasons. However, revenge could be a powerful motive, even though Graham Potter’s lads head into proceedings winless in back-to-back matches (D1, L1), netting just once in that stretch. Though last season’s loss to Liverpool in the FA Cup grand final saw them become the first team to finish as runners-up in three straight campaigns, Chelsea’s bid to go the distance this season may end early on.