Chelsea will travel to Eastlands tomorrow to face host side Manchester City in their fourth match of English Premier League this season. Chelsea is leading the league table with 7 points from three matches. Manchester City stands third with a point less than Chelsea. So, victory would see Chelsea open up a three points lead, while Manchester City has an excellent chance to reach the top of the table with a victory (depending on the result of Blackburn vs Arsenal).
The match will take place on 13 September 2008. Chelsea will look to win the match, while Manchester City, advantaged with home support, will also gearing up to pick up three points against Chelsea. However, even a draw would be a satisfactory result for Manchester City. However, the main focus is now on Robinho who is yet to play his first match for Manchester City. The former Real Madrid star joined City during summer transfer window for a British record fee of £32.5. He was a big target of Chelsea and he himself was keen to move to Stamford Bridge, but after a series of turn and twists, he put pen on paper for Manchester City on the last day of the deadline. Shaun Wright-Phillip is also expected to be handed his first match since his return to City tomorrow against Chelsea.
However, City boss Mark Hughes needs to contend with injury that ruled Martin Petrov out of the match. Michael Johnson is also doubtful for the match as he is struggling with groin injury. The good news is that defender Micah Richards might return to action with the match after shaking off his shoulder injury.
Chelsea boos Luiz Felipe Scolari might give Didier Drogba his first match of the season as he has recovered from knee injury. Joe Cole will travel with the team to Eastlands, even though he picked up a head wound that needed stitches during England’s 4-1 victory over Croatia. Michael Essien will be out with his ligament injury suffered during international duty, but John Obi Mikel is expected to come back after recovering from leg injury and he would fill in the gap of Essien.
Chelsea seems to be better side, but Manchester City will have home advantage. The City players will come out full of confidence as star footballers like Robinho is going to make his debut in the match. I think, the match will be a draw.
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