Premier League Preview: Manchester City va Chelsea

Roberto Mancini currently stands at a crossroads in his career at the helm of England's richest club. This season the Italian must deliver unprecedented success with the Eastlands outfit or face being discarded at the first opportunity.

Mark Hughes' dismissal is testament to the ruthlessness that now pervades at the top of the Citizens hierachy, and after the transgression of being pipped to the Champions League last season, another stay of execution will not be afforded to Mancini should he miss this season's targets.

A humbling exit in the League Cup on Wednesday at the hands of West Bromwich means even more onus will now be put into success in the more important competitions. That City can dismiss that defeat and suggest it will help in their fight for the Premier League title is demonstrative of how the club is mixing it with the big boys now, and they will have to mix it with one of the biggest when champions Chelsea visit on Saturday.

Recent history is in favour of the light-blue billionaire's club in this fixture, with City beating Chelsea home and away last season, ending a run of eight successive defeats at the hands of the Londoners. However, Mancini will have to prepare his side to face a particularly lethal Blues side this time, with Carlo Ancelotti's men enjoying an exceptionally free-scoring run up to this game in the league.

The Citizens will have to rely on their impressive defence to shut out the Blues, and with only two goals conceded in their last five fixtures, will offer their opposition a sterner test than they have faced so far.

How Mancini must have looked on in envy as he witnessed his compatriot Ancelotti move from the Italians' old battleground in Serie A and instantly claim success in the Premier League. It is believed that Mancio was keen on taking over the Stamford Bridge hotseat after Guus Hiddink's departure, but as fate would have it he pitched up further north, whilst his old Milan rival had already started winning on the route to winning trophies in London.

Ancelotti will be well aware of the tactical astuteness of the man in the opposition dugout on Saturday after years of sparring in the San Siro. And it is no doubt that City represent the first real test for the Blue juggernaut that has steamrolled over all opposition thrown in its path in the Premier League so far. 22 goals scored with only a single conceded leaves little doubt as to who is the Premier League's form team at the moment.

The club is firing on all pistons, but it is yet to be seen whether it can carry momentum into matches against the stronger sides and the Blues will have to do that to keep up their perfect league start with a sixth win. Certainly some momentum was lost when Chelsea, like their opponents this weekend, were sent crashing out of the League Cup at the hands of Newcastle inside Stamford Bridge.

But, much as Mancini excused City's exit in that competition, so did Ancelotti Chelsea's. This particular Italian tactician has the not inconsiderable task of defending the Premier League title and winning the Champions League this season, after — two feats that he will be quick to remind his old foe are not achievable at Manchester City just yet.

TEAM NEWS

Manchester City

Mancini has voiced his concerns that the Citizens are facing an injury crisis ahead of Saturday's showdown. With Aleksandar Kolarov, Jerome Boateng and Wayne Bridge sidelined and Micah Richards struggling to recover from a hamstring injury, the Italian may face issues over who to station at left back.

In attack, Adebayor's continuing injury and Roque Santa Cruz's ineligibility mean the Citizens will again have to rely on Carlos Tevez and Jo as their only striker options for the match.

Possible starting XI: Hart, K.Toure, Zabaleta, Richards, Kompany, Barry, Milner, de Jong, Y.Toure, A.Johnson, Tevez.

Chelsea

Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun both pulled up injured in Chelsea's defeat against Newcastle and both seem certain to miss the trip to Eastlands.

However, Ancelotti will be boosted by the return to fitness of influential duo Frank Lampard and John Terry. Lampard has recovered from a hernia operation and should start whilst the captain was withdrawn with a knock on Wednesday but is expected to feature again on Saturday.

Possible starting XI: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Cole, Essien, Mikel, Lampard, Anelka, Malouda, Drogba.

Carling Cup Hangover Could Hamper Chelsea At Eastlands

Do Chelsea have any weaknesses? It is a question many will have answered in the negative during an imperious five-match winning streak at the start of their Premier League campaign.

But last season there was at least one major fault line in Carlo Ancelotti’s team and it is one that may be exposed again on Saturday when they visit Manchester City.

The trip to Eastlands is the first major test of the season for Chelsea and it might be more difficult than the odds indicate – the league leaders 2.22 in the early betting and City 3.75.

City won 2-1 in this fixture last season – a reverse that was just one in a string of poor away results for Chelsea against the teams just outside the elite.

Ancelotti’s players were able to raise themselves for the biggest away games last season—winning at Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool—but it was their opponents who seemingly found the extra motivation when Chelsea visited the teams that filled places four to ten in the final league table.

In that category, Chelsea had just one win (the late-season 2-0 victory at Liverpool) out of seven. They lost four (at City, Tottenham, Aston Villa and Everton) and drew two (at Birmingham and Blackburn).

Chelsea’s wide-margin wins in their first two away games have been against early strugglers—6-0 at Wigan and 3-1 at West Ham—and have told us nothing new.

Clearly they have the ability to win anywhere, as last season’s results at United and Arsenal proved, but for now they are something of an enigma in the tougher away games against teams such as City.

For once, all the negative headlines might just have a point this week. When the critics jump on the nine Premier League teams that were knocked out of the Carling Cup, with claims such as ‘Crisis deepens’ and ‘Poor start to season continues’, it could be worth taking note.

At the same stage of the Carling Cup last season, six Premier League teams were knocked out and all six went on to lose the following weekend in the league.

Another striking statistic is that, of the seven Premier League teams who were out of the Carling Cup by this stage last season, five went on to finish in the bottom six.

So much for the Carling Cup being a competition of little significance, because as a barometer of early-season form among Premier League clubs, it appears to be very significant indeed, even allowing for all the squad rotation.

In the three seasons since the Carling Cup calendar was rearranged to the current schedule, midweek cup losers have lost 15 out of 21 in the Premier League the following weekend, with just four winners – only two of which were against teams that were coming off a midweek cup win.

And in each season at least four of the bottom six had been knocked out of the Carling Cup by this stage – a good indicator of the probable strugglers.

If the pattern continues, Manchester United are bankers at Bolton on Sunday, while West Ham could spring an upset at home to midweek cup losers Tottenham. And don’t be surprised if Blackburn are beaten at Blackpool, who did not play in midweek.

Frank Lampard To Miss Chelsea's Next Three Games Following Setback In Recovery

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is believed to be in line to miss the club's next three games owing to his injury recovery problems.

Goal.com UK had previously revealed exclusively that the 32-year-old had aggravated his groin injury during training, amid fears that the England international's fitness related problems could continue further.

The former West Ham United midfielder last played when the Blues beat Stoke City by a 2-0 margin, as he hobbled off the pitch owing to an injury.

Following surgery to correct a hernia problem, Lampard was to return to make an appearance against his former club West Ham earlier this month.

But it now appears that the setback that occurred in training may see the player remaining sidelined for a protracted period, as The Guardian reports that the midfielder is likely to miss the west London club's next three matches.

Chelsea travel to play Manchester City on Saturday, before hosting Olympique Marseille at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League. This is then followed by a blockbuster clash with Arsenal.

Chelsea Target Marek Hamsik Set To Stay At Napoli Until 2015

Long-term Chelsea target, playmaker Marek Hamsik, is poised to extend his Napoli contract until 2015.

The 22-year-old midfield maestro has been linked with a host European clubs, most prominently Chelsea, but his agent says that he has now agreed a deal to stay at Italian side Napoli where he is both star player and captain.

Hamsik’s agent Juraj Venglos told Napoli.net, “It’s a contract more financially advantageous than previous offers. Both Marek and Napoli are satisfied with the extension.”

Hamsik, who captained Slovakia at the World Cup Hamsik is one of the greatest talents in European football, who, although young, is a complete midfielder.

Hamsik has wonderful technique, demonstrated by his goal-scoring, his wonderful vision, excellent passing, great crossing and dazzling dribbling skills. He is also well-built and strong enough to compete at the highest level.

Although Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is thought to be a big admirer of Hamsik and is very familiar with him from his days in Serie A, it looks as if the Italian has lost out for now.

Chelsea & Manchester United Keep Close Tabs On Wesley Sneijder's Stumbling Contract Talks At Inter

Manchester United and Chelsea are on the alert after Wesley Sneijder's agent claimed that the player's negotiations regarding a new contract at Inter have broken down, The Daily Mirror reports.

The Serie A giants apparently wanted the midfielder to sign a new deal that would last until 2015, but his agent is now claiming that the Milanese have "broken their promises".

"Financially we can't work out a deal. Negotiations have been called off and will only be restarted if Inter will show some willing," Soren Lerby, Sneijder's representative, said.

The 26-year-old was a key part of last season's treble-winning team under Jose Mourinho, but has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford and that may yet become more likely if relations with his current club continue to regress.

Drogba: 'Chelsea Can Score In Any Game At Any Time'

Didier Drogba has warned anyone trying to stop him and Nicolas Anelka that the club's strikers are just as good at setting up goals as scoring them.

Chelsea have already hit an incredible 21 goals in five league games so far this season - 29 in all competitions - and go to Manchester City on Saturday with confidence at an all-time high.

City are certain to mark five-goal Drogba and six-goal Nicolas Anelka tightly but the Ivory Coast star says it won’t prevent another team-mate putting the ball in the net instead.

Winger Florent Malouda already has seven goals this season, for instance, while Salomon Kalou has five - many of them set up by Drogba.

Drogba said: "There are players in our team who can score goals but those same players are capable of giving assists.

"It helps if I can go outside to the right or left to make some space and I know that Nico (Anelka) or Flo (Malouda) will move up front in that situation. They both show that understanding and the desire to score goals, so it makes things really interesting.

"And you can’t forget what Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge have brought us because they give fresh legs and different options. We know we have the quality in the dressing room to make the difference at any time in any game.

"This is going to be important in tight games because our opponents will know that a chance could come from a good pass by a striker or by a good strike from a midfielder.

"It’s good to have so many players with these qualities and to be able to make goals from different situations."

Chelsea scored a club record 142 goals in all competitions last season as they won the Double (103 of them in the Premier League) but already look on course to overtake that total this time. And Drogba reckons Chelsea’s goal power is a result of years of playing together - with a large proportion of the squad having been at Stamford Bridge for many seasons.

"The fluidity comes because we know each other so well now and that makes things easier for you on the pitch," he said. "That understanding is there because we’ve been together such a long time so we know more or less what we have to do."

Jon Obi Mikel Admits He Would Be Scared To Face Chelsea Attack

Jon Obi Mikel has admitted his relief that he doesn't have to face Chelsea's fearsome attack.

The Blues have begun the defence of their Premier League title in a free scoring fashion, with 21 goals being fired in. This ruthless edge has seen them collect all 15 points available while rivals Manchester United and Arsenal have dropped four behind.

With the first big test of the season coming this weekend with the match against Manchester City, Obi Mikel was in confident mode the attack would keep up the club's momentum.

"If I was a defender playing against Chelsea, I would be very scared because you don't know where we're going to come from - we have Ashley Cole bombing forward on the left side all the time," the Nigeria midfielder as quoted as saying by skysports.com.

"So it is hard to know what to expect when we have all these players bombing forward all the time.

"If you look at our front three, none of them have a static position, they are all moving around.

"It is the same with the midfield although I tend to stay a little bit more because I cannot afford to leave that position.

"Playing that way helps us a lot while the other team is thinking about whether to follow Nicolas Anelka's runs, Frank Lampard or Michael Essien."

Levallois SC To Name Stadium After Didier Drogba

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will have the honour of seeing a stadium named after him in France, according RMC.

The French fourth division club Levallois Sporting has announced that its new stadium will be named after Didier Drogba during the inauguration ceremony on September 29 in the town of Levallois-Perret near Paris.

Drogba had played youth football with Levallois when he was 15, before moving to Le Mans in 1997.

The club said Drogba would be present at the ceremony.