Liam Rosenior
Manchester City are set to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend, aiming to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal. Currently, Arsenal hold a nine-point lead over the Citizens, with the potential to extend it to 12 points before City’s match. However, Pep Guardiola’s side will be without some key players as they look to maintain their unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge since June 2020.
Pep Guardiola said: “He’s getting better. He’s not ready for Sunday.” He continued, “He’s fine,” referring to Mateo Kovacic, who could make a return after an ankle injury. “Hopefully we can get a lot of points. The situation we are in in the Premier League, we need to get all of them otherwise it will not give us a chance to try until the end. We need to get a lot of points. We have not been consistent enough in the season.”
Liam Rosenior said: “Yes, three points. That takes us closer to our objective, which right now is to qualify for the Champions League. That’s all we can focus on. We have teams who fight relegation, teams who are in mid-table, teams who are pushing at the top end of the league. It doesn’t matter because every game is so difficult in this league. And we know it’s going to be a big challenge on Sunday, but one that we’re looking forward to.” On whether Chelsea can beat Guardiola’s side, Rosenior added: “Of course. Of course we can. We’re a very good team. We’ve gone through a difficult run, even though in that run we were punished for mistakes. There were good moments. When I actually analysed the games that we’ve had, we’ve caused every team we’ve played against problems, but haven’t had the results for that. We need to make sure that we keep the back door shut. We need to not switch off. We need to not make mistakes because Manchester City will punish you. But I still want us to go out and play our game.”
Manchester City will be without Ruben Dias and John Stones, who were absent from the squad in their recent FA Cup encounter with Liverpool. Josko Gvardiol remains sidelined with a tibial fracture sustained in January. Despite these setbacks, Guardiola expressed optimism about Mateo Kovacic’s potential return, which could bolster the midfield against his former club.
Chelsea, under the guidance of Liam Rosenior, are determined to capitalize on City’s injury woes. Rosenior emphasized the importance of maintaining focus and avoiding errors against a team of City’s caliber. Chelsea’s recent performances have shown promise, but they have been unable to convert opportunities into results consistently.
As the title race intensifies, both teams are under pressure to secure vital points. Manchester City aim to keep pace with Arsenal, while Chelsea are focused on securing a Champions League spot. Sunday’s clash promises to be a high-stakes encounter at Stamford Bridge.
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