There isn't a heck of a lot left for Chelsea to play for this year, but it can still work its way into European competition next year by winning the FA Cup. The last 16 will play this weekend, the showcase game of which pits Chelsea against Manchester City.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Chelsea +104
Manchester City +265
Draw +257
Over/Under 2.5 (over -115)
ODDS ANALYSIS
It's worth remembering here that Man City has some pretty big fish to fry coming down the line. The Citizens have to play in the Champions League early next week, and there's still the matter of trying to run down Leicester City in the Premier League while getting back into at least the Top 3 in the process. It would be easy for the players to take their foot off the gas pedal here in this one against a Chelsea side which has been a mess all season long.
That's why the Blues are the heavy favorites here, relatively speaking, at +104 on the moneyline. A draw here, and the two sides will go back to Manchester for a replay, and that's a result that neither team really wants to see.
The total of a flat 2.5 is essentially average at this level.
KEY INJURIES
John Terry is the big name on the injury list for the Blues. He's sort of fallen out of favor with Guus Hiddink, and the team has already basically told him that this is his last season at Stamford Bridge anyway. We'd bet that he plays in spite of a muscle injury, but we'll see whether that turns out to be the case or not.
City is still playing without Wilfried Bony, Kevin De Bruyne, Fabian Delph, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri and Jesus Navas, all of which are relatively long-term injuries. Navas was the new injury of the bunch, as he picked up a hamstring knock against Sunderland early in the month.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"I think [the FA Cup] is a serious competition and not a competition you can throw away but at this moment, with so many injured players and the chance to try and get to the Champions League quarterfinal for the first time, I think it's a case where we are going to prioritize." – Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini hinting on this being a very young side which goes to Stamford Bridge this weekend
RECENT FORM
Chelsea will have to pick itself up off the mat after losing at PSG in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday. The Blues might be down, but it would be wrong to rule them out after picking up a crucial away goal in that proceeding.
Manchester City's form isn't necessarily all that important, knowing that most of the senior players are going to be paying attention to a duel in Ukraine against Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday. As it is, the Citizens' senior squad has looked exhausted of late, losing to both Leicester City and Tottenham in matches which they were thoroughly outplayed on their home soil.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
Something isn't right at the moment with Man City, and we think it's set to get its butt kicked at the Bridge on Sunday. The Citizens are going to end up playing half of a side, and we think they'll look like the team which has been making it through the Capital One Cup with ease.
This though, is a different challenge. Manchester City has been playing against other halfcocked Premier League sides of late in the Capital One Cup. This is going to be a full Chelsea side with nothing left to play for but this. Though it would be "so Chelsea" to hit the self-destruct button here at home, we can't imagine the Blues doing so in front of their hometown fans.
Chelsea 2, Manchester City 0
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Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between Chelsea and Manchester City is scheduled for Sunday, February 21, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. ET at Stamford Bridge. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 2.
