Manchester City kick off new yr at Chelsea after COVID-19 clearance

Manchester City kick off the New Year at Chelsea on Sunday, keen to maneuver on from a latest COVID-19 outbreak and get again to placing stress on Premier League leaders Liverpool.
The match, solid into query when COVID-19 pressured City to shut amenities and postpone Monday’s sport at Everton, is about to go forward after the guests returned to coaching on Wednesday.
Surging infections in London and the postponement on Wednesday of Tottenham Hotspur’s match at Fulham, Chelsea’s West London neighbours, raised doubts however the Premier League is assured fixtures can go forward.
“Safety remains our number one priority, and the club will continue to proceed with great caution,” City stated in a press release.
“The bubble will undergo further testing in the coming days, the results of which will inform and dictate the next steps.”
On the pitch, eighth-placed City shall be chasing a 3rd successive league win whereas Chelsea want to show round a run of poor kind that features three defeats and a draw of their final 5 video games.
“At the moment, they are a crisis club because they are underperforming,” former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton informed BBC radio after the West Londoners drew 1-1 with Aston Villa and slipped to sixth.
“They are flat and that’s why (manager) Frank (Lampard) needs to get a few wins under his belt and extremely quickly because it can, as we know, turn ugly at Chelsea.”
Champions Liverpool, on 33 factors from 16 matches, drew 0-0 with Newcastle United on Wednesday and journey to Southampton on Monday.
The factors distinction between City and Liverpool is seven factors however City have two video games in hand.
Manchester United, second within the standings and on a nine- match unbeaten streak, host fifth-placed Aston Villa on Friday night. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s facet are three factors behind Liverpool.
Leeds United, recent from a 5-0 thrashing of West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday, journey to Tottenham Hotspur for Saturday’s lunchtime kickoff whereas high-flying Leicester City are at Newcastle United on Sunday.
Everton host West Ham United on Friday and Arsenal play at West Brom on Saturday.
Sheffield United, with two factors from 16 Premier League video games, journey to Crystal Palace, who’re on a five-game winless run, on Saturday.