After suffering defeat at the hands of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City machine on Thursday night, Graham Potter’s Chelsea will face the English champions again, this time in the third round of the FA Cup.
One of the two pre-tournament favorites will be eliminated at the earliest possible stage for the Premier League sides, making this encounter a potential classic.
Chelsea need a win more than their rivals, if only to ease the pressure on Potter, who has gradually moved into the hot seat given his team’s recent run of poor results.
Injuries picked up in midweek have robbed Chelsea of attacking options for the FA Cup tie, although David Fofana is available for the club’s debut after arriving from Molde at the start of the transfer window.
Manchester City vs Chelsea predicted line-ups
Manchester City will head into this domestic cup tie boosted in the knowledge that Aymeric Laporte could return to action after a back injury.
Julian Alvarez has been absent since Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar, but he has returned to Manchester now.
Ruben Dias is a definite absence after picking up a thigh injury in Qatar.
Raheem Sterling‘s hamstring injury from midweek will keep him out of an Etihad Stadium homecoming, and the Blues have quite the absentee list.
N’Golo Kante, Armando Broja, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic and Edouard Mendy are all expected to miss out through injury.
Manchester City’s predicted line-up (4-3-3): Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Rodri, Sergio Gomez, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland, Riyad Mahrez.
Chelsea’s predicted line-up (4-2-3-1): Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Thiago Silva, Marc Cucurella, Denis Zakaria, Mateo Kovacic, Carney Chukwuemeka, Hakim Ziyech, Conor Gallagher, David Fofana.
