Match Today: Chelsea vs Manchester City 05-01-2023 English Premier League

Manchester City travel to 10th-placed Chelsea looking to secure a vital away win. It ranks second in the English Premier League, eight points behind Arsenal, with a postponed match.

Chelsea are now ten points adrift of last place in the Champions League but with a game in hand over Manchester United. Both clubs need to get back to winning ways after disappointing results at the weekend.

Manchester City travel to Stamford Bridge after dropping points in two of their last three league matches. The last game before the World Cup break saw the team lose at home to Brentford when the season resumed, they beat Leeds United 3-1 away but then could only equalize at home to Everton at the weekend.

They also achieved a 3-2 home win over Liverpool in the UEFA Cup. They cannot afford to lose more points in the Premier League, especially if Arsenal beat Newcastle United on January 3.

City can close the gap between them and leaders Arsenal to just five points if they win this match. They have won three of their last four away matches in the Premier League, but have dropped points in three of their last six matches.

Chelsea have won one of their last seven league matches. Manchester City have won their last three matches against Chelsea.

Manchester City did not concede a goal in any of those three victories. Manchester City have won three of their last four away matches in the league.

Chelsea also had a bad result at the weekend. Their final match of 2022 saw them drawn 1-1 at Nottingham Forest after taking the lead at half-time. That draw left them seven points behind fourth-placed Manchester United, who host Bournemouth on January 3.

Chelsea resumed the Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth, before drawing at Forest.

They have won just one of their last seven Premier League matches. Evidence of form in their last five Premier League matches after January 2 saw them finish in 16th place having picked up six points less than City. The pitch has seen Chelsea win one of their last three home matches, drawing with Manchester United and losing against Arsenal.

Both teams need to win this Premier League clash. City have a chance to reduce the gap between them and the league leaders to just five points.

Chelsea cannot continue dropping points as they are now 10 times behind fourth place. The hosts have only beaten Bournemouth in their last seven league matches and only managed to equalize at Nottingham Forest at the weekend.

Manchester City failed to maintain a 1-0 lead over Everton in their last league game. Chelsea will have to make a decision on recalling Mateo Kovacic. They also have a choice between Jorginho or Denis Zakaria.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is back in training and could be on the bench. Manchester City has some interesting selection decisions to make. Julian Alvarez came in as a sub-team at Everton and could start this match.

Then again, Phil Foden, Joao Cancelo, Kyle Walker and Ikkai Gundogan could have done it too. Guardiola also has Calvin Phillips in contention after feeling an improvement in his fitness that he is now back in training.

Some of those named are more likely to be involved in the January 8 FA Cup match between these two clubs than this Premier League match.