By Alex Roberts
Pep Guardiola’s boys went 2-0 up towards the Parisians earlier than fully capitulating, conceding 4 targets within the closing 35 minutes, leaving them on the point of elimination from Europe’s elite membership competitors.
Chelsea had no such worries, however that doesn’t imply Enzo Maresca could have taken his eye off the ball… actually. The West London membership impressed towards Metropolis of their first sport underneath the Italian however have been powerless to withstand their overwhelming firepower. They’ll need revenge this trip.
The prodigal son makes a formidable return
It’s nearly as if Trevoh Chalobah by no means left, or not less than he shouldn’t have. The centre-back completely bossed it of their 3-1 win towards Wolves of their earlier Premier League fixture.
Chalobah ended the win over Wolves with a 96% cross accuracy price, two possibilities created, and an help: successful the Participant of the Match award in his first sport again since being recalled from his mortgage at Crystal Palace.
Sure, these are all attacking stats, as a result of, actually, he didn’t have to do this a lot on the again, and when he did, he was as calm as ever. The academy star could have saved his boyhood membership hundreds of thousands.
A flurry of latest Man Metropolis signings
Metropolis have spent massive within the January switch window, bringing Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov, and now Omar Marmoush to the membership as they search to refresh an getting older squad earlier than any ruling is made relating to these ominous 115 costs.
The present champions are complicated sufficient as it’s, and will Guardiola resolve to provide his three new boys their debuts towards Chelsea, it might throw a critical spanner within the works for Maresca.
Marmoush particularly might trigger issues. The ahead performed at a better degree than the opposite two, scoring 20 targets and offering 13 assists within the first half of the season at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Over a billion spent and nonetheless in want of a goalkeeper
The Stamford Bridge devoted aren’t beginning to lose religion in Robert Sánchez, they misplaced it a while in the past. Maresca continues to again him, regardless of a variety of high-profile errors, together with the one towards Wolves, however his fingers could also be tied within the close to future.
Solely Ipswich goalkeeper Arijanet Muric has made extra errors resulting in targets within the Premier League this season with 5, another than Chelsea’s Sánchez. A worrying stat for a facet making an attempt to safe a high 4 spot.
Being a goalkeeper is difficult, it’s arguably essentially the most confidence-based place within the sport, and that can make it even tougher for Sánchez to redeem himself within the eyes of the Chelsea followers.
Beginning to fear about Bernardo
Bernardo Silva has been one in every of Metropolis’s most constant gamers over the previous few years, however a string of poor performances towards the large boys this season needs to be trigger for concern for each Guardiola and the followers.
It was a miracle he wasn’t introduced off within the defeat to PSG, dropping seven duels, greater than some other participant on the pitch. The wrestle was as clear as day on his face after Ousmane Dembélé nut-megged him earlier than smashing the crossbar.
All issues should come to an finish, and it’s unimaginable he’s managed to play at such a excessive degree for such a chronic time period, however he could also be one other getting older star Metropolis look to maneuver on within the not-so-distant future.
Prediction
Metropolis and Chelsea are two of the Premier League’s extra unpredictable sides this season, it’s onerous to find out which model will flip up for any given sport. We’re going to go along with a 3-1 win to Metropolis, however don’t maintain us to it!
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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