Pep Guardiola wants points straight away at Chelsea: City hunting unprecedented fifth consecutive title
Manchester City open the Premier League season on Sunday at 4:30pm at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea. Title holders City, the only club to have won the championship four times in a row, are targeting a historic fifth consecutive league title. Chelsea welcome the visitors as the biggest summer spenders in the Premier League with £156.3 million in new signings and a new manager in Enzo Maresca.
Manchester City hunting unprecedented fifth consecutive title
The stakes are immediately high as the Premier League season kicks off in London on Sunday. Manchester City, reigning champions and the only club in the competition's history to have won the title four seasons in a row, travel to Stamford Bridge with one goal: to set a historic fifth consecutive league title in motion. Manager Pep Guardiola left no doubt during his press conference about the magnitude of this opening fixture. 'I expect the very best from Sunday against Chelsea. We know we need to pick up points as quickly as possible, and when the players are fitter and in better physical condition, they need to be ready,' said Guardiola. The Catalan coach can draw on an impressive statistic: City have won twelve of their last thirteen Premier League opening matches. That run underlines how accustomed the club are to setting the tone from the very start. Earlier this summer City also secured the Community Shield, though Guardiola deliberately opted for a changed line-up in that encounter with Manchester United. In the transfer market, City chose a notable course of action. Striker Julián Álvarez departed for a substantial fee of €75 million to Atlético Madrid, while talent Savinho was brought in for €25 million as a reinforcement. A 4-2-3-1 formation is expected for the match against Chelsea, with Erling Haaland as the central striker. However, Guardiola will have to do without several key names: Oscar Bobb, who shone in the clash with Manchester United last weekend, has picked up a leg injury. Rodri is also a doubt, and the availability of Jack Grealish is similarly uncertain.
Chelsea with record spending and new coach Maresca ready for baptism of fire
Chelsea go into the top-of-the-bill clash as the club who dug deepest into their pockets this summer in the Premier League. With £156.3 million in new signings, the London club are the biggest spenders of the transfer window. The most eye-catching acquisition is Pedro Neto, who was signed for €60 million from Wolverhampton Wanderers. With 43 players now in the squad, Chelsea have achieved a depth of numbers unmatched in the Premier League. The task of moulding all that talent into a cohesive unit falls to 44-year-old Enzo Maresca. Following his widely praised work at Leicester City, he was appointed to draw a definitive line under Chelsea's difficult recent years. His baptism of fire at Stamford Bridge is not without its concerns, however: during pre-season the Blues were beaten by Celtic and Real Madrid, and they also lost 4-2 in a friendly against that same Manchester City earlier this month. Recent head-to-head statistics are equally unfavourable for Chelsea. In their last six meetings with City, the Londoners have not claimed a single victory — two draws and four defeats was the meagre haul. Maresca is expected to opt for a 4-3-3 formation with Christopher Nkunku, Mykhailo Mudryk and Cole Palmer in the front line. Captain Reece James will definitely not be involved, with the right-back both injured and suspended for this fixture.
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Source: Sportmonks
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