Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti claims match against Manchester City could prove decisive
Chelsea boss, Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that his side’s title hopes are totally dependent on Chelsea’s top of the table fixture against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on 20 March, 2011.
Ancelotti said, “It's important we win to clarify our position in the table. At the moment, our position is not so clear. After this game, it'll be clear what we're going to do in the Premier League.”
Chelsea are currently placed fourth in the Barclays Premier League standings with 51 points to their credit out of 28 league games and are nine points shy of Manchester United. A win for Carlo Ancelotti’s men will take them above Manchester City to third
place and will surely provide them with an outside opportunity of retaining their title.
However, if Chelsea fail to get all three points, their hopes of retaining title would surely end and their top-four spot could also be put in jeopardy.
Moreover, Manchester City are also facing the same scenario, they are currently placed third with 53 points, having played an extra game than Chelsea. The Citizens, who are seven points adrift of league leaders Manchester United, have to win against Chelsea
in order to keep their title hopes alive. However, a defeat at Stamford Bridge would surely kill their title aspirations for this season and would take them down to fourth position in the table.
Furthermore, Manchester City have an excellent record against Chelsea in recent times. The Citizens have won all three matches against the Barclays Premier League Champions. Roberto Mancini’s men recently defeated Chelsea in the first half of the season,
when Carlos Tevez scored the only goal at Eastlands to earn all three points for home side.
Additionally, Carlo Ancelotti has not won a single match against Manchester City during his reign at http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786. However, the Chelsea boss confessed that he suffered three consecutive defeats to City due to a strong tactical approach by the opposition.
The former AC Milan coach said, “I think that all three games we lost on counter-attacks. City will try to do the same now. They are very dangerous on the counter-attack, so we have to avoid this and maintain good balance on the pitch.”
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