- If Man City win they go back to the top of the Premier League
- Martin Keown says Chelsea have to somehow keep Alvaro Negredo quiet
- He thinks Chelsea have to win to give themselves a shot at the title
- Jamie Redknapp is sure Eden Hazard holds the keys for Jose Mourinho
- The former midfielder is convinced that is where the game will be won or lost
Monday evening's mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash between Manchester City and Chelsea could go some way to deciding who will win the Premier League. Here Jamie Redknapp and Martin Keown provide analysis on the game and discuss where they think it will be won and lost.
MARTIN KEOWN
How do Chelsea stop the City Juggernaut?
Manchester City have been scoring goals for fun so Chelsea will need to be organised and resolute. City will look to attack constantly so the Chelsea defence must keep up their concentration.
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Prolific: Alvaro Negredo has already scored 24 goals for Manchester City this season
Double trouble
City are one of the few teams to play with two strikers this season — though they did play just one when they last faced Chelsea. Defenders have become used to playing against a lone striker recently, so an old-fashioned double act provides a different challenge.
John Terry and Gary Cahill will relish it. Sergio Aguero is missing, so his pace won’t hurt them, but they will have a real battle with Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko.
City attack from every angle and love to whip crosses in so Terry and Cahill will need to keep their shape, but their duel with Andy Carroll last week will have whet their appetite for a physical encounter. They can be sure of another titanic tussle.
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Focused: Chelsea will need John Terry to be on top form to stop the City juggernaut from rolling on
P.S. CITY MEMORIES
The last time Jose Mourinho took Chelsea to Manchester City was March 2007.
The visitors won 1-0 with a Frank Lampard penalty. City’s team featured Michael Ball, Emile Mpenza and Sun Jihai.
City finished 14th, 41 points behind Chelsea. Elano finished the season as City’s top scorer with eight.
Defensive screen
City move the ball so quickly and try to get men between the opposition midfield and defensive lines as often as they can. David Silva is a master in that position, so it’s up to Chelsea to make sure they don’t leave gaping holes and that the distance between defence and midfield is not too great.
They need to protect their centre backs from the waves of City attacks and it will be up to the deeper midfielders to offer that buffer.
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Wizard: David Silva is one man Chelsea must close down and not give any space
Verdict
This has the makings of a classic game but Jose Mourinho has a tactical dilemma on his hands. He was conservative playing away at United and Arsenal but that might not be enough here.
If Mourinho gives his side the freedom to go for it, he has the players to cause City all sorts of problems, or he may choose to try and contain them. But the demolition job City are doing on other teams means the head-to-head encounters are now even more crucial.
Chelsea have the players to win it and they can’t rely on other teams to stop City. They have to do the job themselves.
MARTIN KEOWN'S COMBINED TEAM AT THE ETIHAD
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Cech is so consistent and I’ve picked a solid back four — Kompany and Terry pick themselves.
The midfield is full of pace and power, though Yaya Toure would play further forward.
Silva and Hazard offer more creativity and in the absence of the injured Aguero, I’d have Negredo leading the line.
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Security: Vincent Kompany and Petr Cech would be the heart of Martin Keown's mixed team
JAMIE REDKNAPP
Who will win the midfield battle?
Chelsea and Manchester City have two of the best midfields in the Premier League, so expect fireworks. It’s a crucial area of the pitch and whoever dominates the middle could win the game.
Win it on the wing
For Chelsea to have success at the Etihad, they will have to win the battle on the left flank.
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Make something out of nothing: City's in-form man may be Negredo, but Chelsea's is certainly Eden Hazard
Eden Hazard is Jose Mourinho’s match-winner and it will be a fascinating contest between him and Pablo Zabaleta. The Argentine will want to get forward as often as possible and run Hazard into areas where he doesn’t want to be.
The risk with that is leaving space behind for the Belgian to race into. Chelsea will likely play on the counter attack and if they can get the best out of Hazard, then they have a real chance to win it.
Men in the middle
The way City play, Chelsea should have an extra man in midfield. For 4-4-2 to work, you need two fit and powerful midfielders and, in Fernandinho and Yaya Toure, City certainly have that. But if Chelsea get an extra man in there, don’t be surprised if they try to take the sting out of the game with a deep-lying midfielder.
Mourinho could use Nemanja Matic or David Luiz, as he did against Manchester United last month, but, whoever he picks, the tactics of that protective role won’t change.
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Muscle and finesse: Yaya Toure is the best example of a midfield powerhouse in the Premier League
Verdict
Mourinho was very critical of West Ham’s defensive tactics last week but I’ve no problem with sides defending like that away from home. It’s only what Jose has done at United and Arsenal this season, and he could go the same way.
I’ve played in the middle and if you take command of that area of the pitch you can frustrate the opposition and the home fans.
Mourinho has his favoured front players who he will want to win him the game but it will be in the middle of the park where the platform for victory is built for either side.
JAMIE REDKNAPP'S COMBINED TEAM AT THE ETIHAD
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Hart has come through a difficult period and is back in form, while Zabaleta is a warrior and an easy pick.
City’s midfield two are a real force but with Silva further forward there’s plenty of guile, too.
Hazard has to play, though I’d have Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero, too, if they were fit.
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Important players: Joe Hart and Willian would both feature in Jamie Redknapp's mixed team
original post found here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2550652/Jamie-Redknapp-Martin-Keown-gives-views-Manchester-City-v-Chelsea.html
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