Current form: Chelsea vs Manchester City
Chelsea come into this game having booked their spot in the round of 16 after seeing off Malmo, but despite winning the match 3-0 and the tie 5-1 on aggregate, it was far from a comfortable win for Maurizio Sarri's side. The Blues were slow to come out of the gate against the Swedes, and had they been playing better quality opposition, they surely would have been punished for their ponderous and sluggish start.
It has been a very difficult 2019 so far for the Blues, who have yet to score a Premier League goal away from home following defeats to Arsenal, Bournemouth, and most recently, Manchester City. The losses to Arsenal and Bournemouth came back to back, during which they conceded six goals without reply. And despite getting back to winning ways in the Europa League following their 6-0 drubbing by Manchester City, Chelsea were promptly dumped out of the FA Cup as Manchester United earned a 2-0 victory.
Unfortunately, the loss to the Red Devils showed that Sarri had not taken any lessons from Chelsea's losses to City, Arsenal, and Tottenham, as well as Bournemouth. Clearly taking cues from their cross-town rivals, as well as Tottenham, Manchester United opted to heavily mark and harass Jorginho in the middle of the park, and just as what happened in the 3-1 and 6-0 losses to Tottenham and City, the former Napoli midfielder wilted under pressure. Meanwhile, Chelsea fan favorite Kante, who is arguably one of the best midfielders in world football, continues to struggle to have any impact in an unfamiliar position.
So what does he need to do to get the better of Guardiola this time around? It's simple really - Sarri needs to make some changes and bold decisions. The first, and most obvious one is to put N'Golo Kante back in his preferred spot and move Jorginho elsewhere to accommodate the World Cup winner. In fact, basically swapping the two players' positions, at this point, is an option that doesn't seem too crazy and far-fetched.
Alternatively, if that means benching the player he brought in from Napoli to see how things go, so be it. But fans shouldn't hold their breath. Sarri is a notoriously stubborn individual and Chelsea's results for the past few weeks have shown that he is not willing to bend his formation. Rather, the players have to bend to suit him - and that is basically trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, with as expected, poor results.
In addition, the calls for Callum Hudson-Odoi to earn a more consistent starting role have grown even louder after the youngster had a dynamic performace against Malmo, with his goal late in the game effectively wrapping up the tie for the Blues. Yet, Sarri continues to snub him. Will he finally wake up and see what everyone has been talking about all season? Despite his failed move to Bayern, Hudson-Odoi will certainly want to show what he can offer if he gets to feature against City, and a motivated player is a win-win for everyone.
Meanwhile, Olivier Giroud may not be the the fastest striker out there, but at the very least, he has a better understanding with Eden Hazard than new signing Gonzalo Higuain. Sarri should refrain from showing favoritism to the player he once managed at Napoli and perhaps give Giroud a chance to lead the line. After all, if it doesn't work out, he could certainly swap him for Higuain if needed.
As for City, they have reclaimed their spot on top of the league table, although they could be back into second should Liverpool beat Manchester United in a mouth-watering fixture on Sunday. Guardiola, of course, is unlikely to change his approach that saw his side cruise to a 6-0 win over the Blues two weeks ago, although he could likely make some changes when it comes to personnel, especially in attack.
How Chelsea and Manchester City got to the 2019 Carabao Cup final
Like many other Premier League sides who finished in the top part of the table, Chelsea's journey in the League Cup commenced in the third round, where they earned a hard fought 2-1 away victory over fellow Premier League giants Liverpool.
Then it was on to taking some lower-tier opposition, although Derby County made things a lot more difficult than expected for the Blues at Stamford Brige. Following their chaotic 3-2 win, Chelsea ground out a narrow 1-0 result against Bournemouth in the quarter-finals, before edging out London rivals Tottenham on spot-kicks in the semi's after the game finished two-all on aggregate.
Manchester City, meanwhile, have been largely in cruise control as they aim to defend their League Cup title. Guardiola's side easily brushed aside League One side Oxford United as they strolled to a 3-0 win in the third round, followed by a comfortable 2-0 success against Fulham. They have to work hard to secure a victory over Leicester - on penalties - after a 1-1 stalemate couldn't be decided in regular time, but absolutely crushed third-tier side Burton Albion 10-0 on aggregate during the semi-finals to book their ticket to Wembley.
Team news: Chelsea vs Manchester City
Chelsea: Starting shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga missed out on Chelsea's recent clash with Malmo due to a hamstring injury, and if he can't feature on Sunday, then Willy Caballero will have an opportunity to feature in between the sticks against his former side.
Other possible absentees include both Pedro and former Torino defender Davide Zappacosta, who also missed Chelsea's midweek fixture as a result of illness.
Manchester City: Gabriel Jesus, who is the top goalscorer in the League Cup with five goals, is a major doubt for this game due to a hamstring problem. In addition, John Stones is still struggling with a groin issue, while fellow defender Benjamin Mendy is still not fully recovered after suffering a knee injury earlier this season.
Match Facts and Stats: Chelsea vs Manchester City
- Manchester City are looking to become the fourth team to win back-to-back League Cups after Liverpool (1981-1984), Nottingham Forest (1978, 1979 and 1989, 1990) and Manchester United (2009, 2010)
- Chelsea have lost two of their three past meetings with Manchester City across all comps, conceding eight goals and scoring zero
- However, they did beat the Citizens 2-0 on December 8th after losing to Wolves
- Chelsea have struggled so far at Wembley, where they have lost three times (twice to Tottenham and once against Manchester City in the Community Shield)
- This will be the first League Cup final meeting between Chelsea and Manchester City
Key players to watch in Chelsea vs Manchester City
Chelsea: If anyone can turn things around for Chelsea, it has to be none other than Eden Hazard. Especially in the League Cup. Here's an impressive stat: Hazard has been directly involved in 14 goals (eight goals, six assists) for his side in this competition since the 2012/2013 campaign. No other player can match that total, but he clearly can't do it all alone, either, as fans have seen from his frustration during the 6-0 loss to City two weeks ago.
Manchester City: Despite not securing a regular spot in the starting XI, Leroy Sane proved to be decisive for City as he came off the bench against Schalke and netted a brilliant long-range free-kick to pull his side level after Schalke had managed to go ahead thanks to two penalties going in their favor. With fellow attacker Gabriel Jesus a major doubt for this game, and Guardiola looking to keep his squad fresh as they remain in the hunt for trophies on four fronts, Sane could be given a chance to shine here as he mixes things up for the League Cup final.
Pre-match talk ahead of Chelsea vs Manchester City
Arguably, the biggest talking point for Chelsea ahead of this fixture is the future of Maurizio Sarri on the tactician's bench. The ex-Napoli manager's reign has hit its lowest point, and questions have really started to arise as to whether his brand of football, known as "Sarriball" and his rigid managerial style that has seen him refuse to make any big changes to his personnel and set up is even the correct formula for the London-based giants.
Simply put, the Blues are feeling quite blue at the moment, and all eyes will be on Sarri to see if he can manage to dig himself out of an increasingly growing rut. On the opposite side of the pitch, Guardiola has advocated to give Sarri "more time" at Stamford Bridge, has expressed "concern" about playing the same opponent twice in a fortnight.
It may seem odd, as Guardiola has already beaten Chelsea twice this season - first was in the Community Shield and more recently, a resounding 6-0 victory to ensure the Sky Blues remain top of the Premier League table. However, he nonetheless noted that he does not like to "play the same team in a short period of time when you have beaten them before" as without a shadow of a doubt, Chelsea will be eager for revenge with that heavy loss still fresh in their minds.
So will Guardiola heap more misery on the struggling Blues? Or will Chelsea indeed get their revenge and give Sarri at least one piece of silverware this term?
When, where, and how to watch Chelsea vs Manchester City
What time and date is the 2019 Carabao Cup final?
The latest edition of the League Cup final (known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons) will kick off on Sunday, February 24th at 11:30 EST (16:30 GMT).
How to watch Chelsea vs Manchester City on TV in the USA, the UK, and the world
There is no TV channel which will be showing Chelsea vs Manchester City in the USA, but American fans do have to option to stream the game on their mobile devices.
As for UK-based supporters, Sky Sports Football will be your option to follow the game on TV.
How to stream Chelsea vs Manchester City in the USA, the UK, and the world
In the USA, you can check out ESPN+ to follow the 2019 Carabao Cup final featuring Chelsea vs Manchester City.
Fans in the UK can select from BBC Radio 5 Live, Sky Sports Main Event, BBC Radio Manchester, and SKY GO Extra to stream or listen to the action from beginning to end.
Live elsewhere? Here are your viewing and streaming options for Chelsea vs Manchester City:
Détails du match, résultat et infos sur la première diffusion
Ce match est terminé. Voici les détails de la première diffusion du match en direct.
Couverture télévisée et streaming en direct en United States
Couverture télévisée et streaming en direct en United States
