Manchester City vs Chelsea: Key Battles

FOX Sports looks at where Sunday's clash between Manchester City and Chelsea could be won or lost.

It's second versus third when Manchester City host Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League on Sunday.

The Blues are four points behind second-placed City and with the race for next season's UEFA Champions League places heating up, manager Rafael Benitez will be out to get three points in Manchester.

Roberto Mancini's men have fallen off the championship pace recently and sit 15 points behind neighbours United with as 12 games to go. Nothing but a win for City will do against the Blues if they are serious about retaining their title.

Here's where Sunday's game will be fought:

Hazard vs Zabaleta

In case you haven't noticed - Pablo Zabaleta is the best right-back in the Barclays Premier League right now. The Argentinean has proven to be Mr. Consistency for City this season which sets us up nicely for an intriguing match-up on Sunday when Eden Hazard - one of the world's most sought after midfielders in the summer - rolls into town.

Under Rafael Benitez, Hazard has enjoyed game time on the left where he has produced the goods recently, including in the 4-1 demolition of Wigan earlier in the month and a tie-winning rocket against Sparta Prague in the Europa League on Thursday.

Of all the key battles across the pitch, this could be the most vital for Chelsea if they want to take three points back to Stamford Bridge. If Hazard can get the better of Zabaleta not only would this benefit the Blues attack but it would also limit the effectiveness of City's offensive game. Although a defender, Zabaleta is an integral part of City's attack down the right with his overlapping runs and pin-point crossing.

Yaya vs Lampard

Two very different central midfielders, Manchester City's Yaya Toure and Chelsea's Frank Lampard are set go head-to-head at the Etihad. One is a powerful, athletic figure while the other is a proven goal scorer with a heightened intelligence for reading the game in the final third.

Both are match-winners for their respective sides.

Physically, Lampard is no match for Toure, therefore it is likely Benitez will partner David Luiz (or someone with plenty of engery) with the Englishman in central midfield to help curb the African's influence on the game. However, Toure and City will also have their hands full trying to stop Lampard from scoring as the midfielder is in red-hot form with five goals in his last six games for the Blues.

Incredibly, Lampard is just three goals shy of Bobby Tambling's all-time record of 202 for Chelsea. 
Lampard was not part of Chelsea's Europa League match on Thursday and will be fresh for Sunday's clash with City.

Aguero vs Ivanovic

It does not take a genius to figure out why Benitez opted to rest Branislav Ivanovic from Chelsea's midweek Europa League game against Sparta Prague. The versatile defender has played a huge part in the new manager's plans and he will almost certainly be asked to take up a role in the centre of Chelsea's defence against Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko.

Aguero has not been in top form of late but his pace means the Blues will have to put Ivanovic on the Argentinean to stop him from pulling their defence apart. Aguero has only found the back of the net 13 times in all competitions so far this season but did score twice in the recent 4-0 drubbing of Leeds in the FA Cup.

Ba vs Kompany

Demba Ba was cup-tied from Chelsea's Europa League game against Sparta Prague so he will be raring to go for Sunday's trip to Manchester City. The Senegalese is coming off a broken nose suffered in a 3-2 defeat to former club Newcastle earlier in the month but the Blues will look to him to provide the goals with Fernando Torres still goal-shy.

With his hulking frame and finishing ability, Ba will be a handful for City defender Matija Nastasic to handle which is why Mancini could be tempted to throw skipper Vincent Kompany back into the thick of the action a little early.

Kompany has been out with a calf injury since 26th January but reports suggest he has taken part in full-training this week and the Italian tactician might be tempted to nullify the threat of Ba with Kompany who can match the African for speed, power, and aerial ability.
Interestingly, City have not won a league game since Kompany suffered his latest injury setback.

Form Guide

• Man City: LDDWWW



• Chelsea: WLDWDW



• Last five meetings at Etihad Stadium: Man City have won three, Chelsea have won two.



• Last corresponding meeting was on March 21, 2012 withManchester City winning 2-1 with a goal from Samir Nasriand a penalty from Sergio Aguero edging Gary Cahill's solo effort.

Source: Fox Sport