Manchester City will take on Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday (21 May) at the Etihad Stadium where a victory for Pep Guardiola’s side will guarantee them their fourth league title in the last five years.
City have a chance to win the treble this season after they reached the final of the Champions League by beating Real Madrid. Pep Guardiola’s side are on the brink of winning the Premier League title while they have reached the final of the FA Cup as well. They are in terrific form, and Chris Sutton expects them to steamroll Chelsea, as he predicts a 5-0 win, via BBC Sport.
The popular football pundit says that the Blues lack identity and don’t have proper plans. Speaking to BBC Sport, he adds that the London giants are in a mess at the moment as they can’t perform as a team despite having some good individual players.
After their famous win against Madrid in midweek, Guardiola is likely to make changes to the squad and bring in players like Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, and Julian Alvarez, but Sutton suggests that they should “go out and smash” Chelsea and win this tie comfortably.
Sutton said to BBC Sport:
“I was at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday and Manchester City’s performance levels against Real Madrid were just amazing.
“I was expecting City to dominate the ball and territory but I thought Madrid would carry a threat at times, and they really didn’t.
“City could be crowned champions on Saturday if Arsenal lose at Forest but they are going to want to go out and smash Chelsea regardless of whether they need to win this game to seal a hat-trick of titles.
“That’s what I think will happen, too. From what I have seen of Chelsea, they don’t have an identity, or much of a plan. They have got some very good individual players but they are not a team and there are times when they look like a mess.
“City will make some changes and bring in people like Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez, but they will still win easily.”
No chance
Chelsea arrested their spiral decline by remaining unbeaten in their two games. They lost six games in a row in all competitions prior to their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth and only managed a 2-2 draw against relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest in their previous game.
Sutton is absolutely spot on here. The new owners have spent over £500m in assembling a star-studded squad but they look disjointed, devoid of any clear plan and playing identity.
Given the kind of form City are in, it’s hard to see Chelsea getting a point at the Etihad. Moreover, the Blues have nothing to play for, and the players mentally are not ready to pose a strong challenge to City without any big motivation.
The summer window, however, is going to be crucial for Chelsea, with Mauricio Pochettino all set to become their next permanent manager. The club is set to undergo a massive rebuilding project, with several first-team players heading for the exit.
