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.
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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.
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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.
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About the author
Subhadeep Roy
Subhadeep, an adept tennis journalist at Sportskeeda, has been writing about the sport for seven years. He is known for his exclusive match reviews and opinion pieces, utilizing his MBA degree to tackle them effectively with his problem-solving abilities.
Subhadeep lives and breathes tennis. He watches matches regularly and engages in social media platforms to stay on top of the latest happenings. As a writer, he brings the fan's perspective to his pieces, ensuring his readers enjoy an exceptional experience every time.
Growing up, he idolized Boris Becker, but he now firmly believes Novak Djokovic stands alone as the 'Greatest of all Time', especially considering the 24-time Grand Slam champion's incredible stats. One thing that still puzzles Subhadeep, however, is how Becker's Wimbledon tally might have reached five if not for Pete Sampras.
Speaking of the All England Club, the British Major holds a special place in his heart as he admires its blend of tradition and grass-court excellence. When not working for Sportskeeda, Subhadeep delves into the other "love of his life": football, and enjoys contributing his insights to different websites dedicated to the sport.