When Wayne Meets John has assumed the proportions of a Hollywood blockbuster. Will they or won’t they? And that is just the eye contact. The tale of how two best friends have fallen out over a woman is nothing new but this particular episode holds the nation in thrall. The collateral damage has been destructive and it is in danger of obscuring other issues, chief among them Chelsea’s desire to edge closer to the title and City’s need to improve upon a worrying recent run. Oh, and Carlos Tevez is back from a personal trauma of his own. David Hytner
Venue Stamford Bridge
Tickets Sold out
Last season Chelsea 1 Manchester City 0
Referee M Dean
This season’s matches 19 Y81, R3, 4.42 cards per game
Odds Chelsea1-2 Manchester City 7-1 Draw 7-2
Chelsea
Subs from Turnbull, Deco, J Cole, Ferreira, Kalou, Sturridge, Matic, Alex, Hutchinson, Bruma, Kakuta, Borini
Doubtful Deco (knee)
Injured Bosingwa (knee, 7 Mar), Essien (knee, 7 Mar), Zhirkov (calf, 7 Mar), Cech (calf, 27 Mar), A Cole (ankle, May)
Suspended None
Form guide WLWDWW
Disciplinary record Y37 R2
Leading scorer Drogba 19
Manchester City
Subs from Taylor, Touré, Onuoha, Boyata, Ireland, A Johnson, Vieira, Sylvinho, Ibrahim, Garrido, Santa Cruz
Doubtful Santa Cruz (knee), Tevez (match fitness), Touré (knee)
Injured Ball (foot, 7 Mar), Petrov (knee, 20 Mar), M Johnson (knee, May)
Suspended Adebayor (first of four)
Form guide DDWLWL
Disciplinary record Y36 R2
Leading scorer Tevez 13
Match pointers
• Manchester City have failed to score in their last seven visits to Stamford Bridge – no Premier League team has ever gone eight consecutive games without scoring at an opposition’s ground
• If selected, Joe Cole and John Terry will both be making their 300th Premier League appearance
• Carlos Tevez has scored in his last three Premier League starts against Chelsea – all for different teams (West Ham, Manchester United and City)
• Chelsea’s last three league defeats have all seen them take the lead before going on to lose 2-1
ChelseaManchester CityPremier Leagueguardian.co.uk
