Manchester City vs Chelsea: 3 factors that could decide the outcome of the game | Premier League 2018-19

#2 The battle in midfield

Fernandinho

Pep Guardiola surprised the football world by playing a 3-6-1 formation against Arsenal. Defensive midfielder Fernandinho played as a pseudo center back and fit into a 4-5-1 at times, as Aymeric Laporte and Kyle Walker stretched themselves wide to the flanks.

Guardiola might opt to adopt the same formation against Chelsea in order to ensure supremacy in midfield. The said formation allowed City to play midfielders Ilkay Gundogan, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne at the same time, and thereby dictate terms in the midfield.

City kept playing numerous passes in the midfield in order to ensure that Arsenal did not see much of the ball in the second half. They would like to repeat the act against Chelsea as well.

Chelsea usually play a 4-3-3 formation with Eden Hazard, Gonzalo Huguain and Willian as their front three, but it would be judicious on their part to push Hazard and Willian back to the midfield and have Higuain as the lone front man in order to match City's midfield numbers.

N’Golo Kante, Matteo Kovacic and Jorginho should find it extremely difficult to battle it out against City’s wonderful midfield, and would need the support of Hazard and Willian (or Pedro) frequently.

Hazard in particular would have to curb his attacking instincts somewhat to involve himself I the midfield battle.