Ashley Cole is available again as Chelsea take on Barclays Premier League title rivals Manchester City on Sunday. The England left-back has been absent with a rib problem, but is expected to slot straight into the side in place of Cesar Azpilicueta, the right-back who played on the left in Tuesdays Champions League clash at Schalke. Midfielder Marco van Ginkel, who is out long-term with a knee injury, is the only injury absentee. Jose Mourinho is well aware his side face a significant test of their title ambitions but the Blues boss is relaxed about the outcome of the Stamford Bridge clash. The contest is one of the most eagerly awaited of the season so far, pitting squads lavishly assembled by Roman Abramovich and Abu Dhabis Sheikh Mansour, one of the few men in the world with more disposable cash than the Russian oligarch. Chelsea are a point better off than City after eight games and enter the contest on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run which has included 14 goals in their last four games. We have to play our game, Mourinho said. We are going to play our game and lets see if our game is enough to win against them. I just play every game the same way. We want to win. To win is good, to lose is not good. (But) in this moment, with the way the Premier League is going week after week, no result will put a team in a great situation, no result will put a team in a difficult situation. Every weekend somebody loses points. Some weekends more than one of the top teams lose points. The league is hard, so I dont think at this stage, mid-October, one game is going to be crucial. We have tests every week. Its a big team, yes, its a very good team, but every match is a test and every match is three points. City captain Vincent Kompany is still sidelined by a thigh problem but midfielder Jack Rodwell is fit to be involved. Defender Martin Demichelis has made progress from a knee injury having not yet featured since his summer arrival. Midfielder Samir Nasri insists City head into the fixture on a high after back-to-back victories. Winning at West Ham and CSKA means we will go into this game with a lot more confidence, he said. It was important we started winning away in the Premier League but we know Chelsea wont be an easy game. I think they are more complete than they were last season - they are always a threat, especially on their own pitch and with Jose Mourinho returning, thats even more the case so we will have to be at our best if we are to get a good result. which team will steal the show with oga webb in the centre of the field come on sunday?...lets hear your views posted on jtnng.blogspot/
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 17:44:54 +0000
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