Premier League leaders Chelsea will be looking to make an early season statement of their title credentials as they welcome Manchester City to Stamford Bridge.
The defending champions travel to London after dropping two points in a surprisingly tepid draw with Southampton last weekend.
Chelsea overcame a tricky first half to produce a dominant second-half performance and blow away Tottenham Hotspur and Thomas Tuchel’s side have looked in fine fettle so far in the young league season. Victory over the visitors would push them six points clear of Pep Guardiola’s side.
Both clubs progressed in the Carabao Cup in midweek, with the Blues needing penalties to get past Aston Villa and Man City thrashing Wycombe.
Here’s all the information you need to know ahead of the match.
When is it?
The match will kick off at 12:30pm BST on Saturday 25 September.
How can I watch?
This game will be live on BT Sport 1 with coverage beginning 11:30am. Subscribers can also stream it via the BT Sport website or app.
What is the team news?
Edouard Mendy may be fit to return to the Chelsea side after missing out against Tottenham after suffering a knock in the Champions League fixture against Zenit St Petersburg, though Tuchel said it is “a race against pain and time”, and the German may be forced to call on deputy Kepa Arrizabalaga once more.
Manchester City rang the changes for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup win against Wycombe Wanderers which means Pep Guardiola was able to rest many of his first-choice team, but the Spaniard is facing an increasingly concerning injury list. Rodri has a muscular problem and is a doubt while John Stones, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Aymeric Laporte were all also absent against Southampton last weekend.
Ilkay Gundogan has also suffered an issue ahead of eight days in which Manchester City will play Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool.
Confirmed line-ups
Chelsea: Mendy, Rudiger, Alonso, Christensen, Azpilicueta, James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Kante, Lukaku, Werner
Manchester City: Ederson; Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Silva; Foden, Jesus, Grealish
Odds
Chelsea: 13/8
Draw: 9/4
Manchester City: 7/4
Prediction
Both sides have combined attacking potency with defensive solidity in a manner one would anticipate from two such expensively procured squads. Though Manchester City’s growing fitness issues may be a concern, they will hope to knock back a Chelsea side bidding to knock the defending Premier League champions from their perch — a draw seems the likeliest outcome. Chelsea 1-1 Manchester City
