"I just think the reaction has been over the top. There's only one team in the country at the moment, and that's Man City. I hope they qualify, sincerely, but the attitude has been 'If they qualify they qualify and if they don't they don't'. That's not the same as with us. I will never criticise your editorial choices, but it's the reality."

When Andre Villas-Boas launched into his attack on the media in the aftermath of Chelsea's 3-0 victory over Valencia and subsequent progression to the knockout rounds of the Champions League, he did not merely request that the press refrain from criticising his team but also questioned why they had not applied equal criticism to Manchester City.The explanation, of course, owes to the fact that Manchester City are top of the Premier League table, unbeaten, with a goal difference of +35, and have struggled only in the Champions League - struggles mitigated by the fact they were drawn into a group of death in their debut season in the competition.

However, with City's demotion to the Europa League on Wednesday, Villas-Boas has planted a seed of doubt ahead of Monday's meeting at Stamford Bridge as to whether Roberto Mancini's men might in fact be failing to meet expectations.

This is still a team in transition - inevitable after the years of reliance on so strong and established a spine of players - and it remains to be seen whether Roman Abramovich has now discovered the patience to resist his itchy trigger finger. The suspicion is that he will give Villas-Boas, who was so expensive an acquisition, the time to see through the mission so long as it remains feasible to do so, and the signs of recovery are now clearly in evidence. Even so, it is important the momentum is maintained. The Blues have won three of their last four games 3-0, but all could be considered flattering to various degrees and, while the results ease the pressure and offer them room to find their very best form, finding it is a must if they are to deliver against the league leaders.

City look to have shaken off a dip in form of their own - in November, they laboured to victory over QPR, lost to Napoli and were fortunate to take a 1-1 draw with Liverpool - and, though they are no longer in the Champions League, they seem to be the season's standard-bearers in the Premier League. This is a real test for Chelsea, and a chance to banish the negative headlines for some time to come: by putting pressure on his opponents while simultaneously fostering a siege mentality, Villas-Boas is doing all he can to find an advantage.

Chelsea player to watch: Daniel Sturridge. Didier Drogba showed signs he was back to his best in midweek, and if he can maintain that form then Chelsea's concerns should all but fade away, yet the livewire Sturridge may be the man to watch on Monday. At 22, his development looks to be slightly behind track as a result of limited first-team experience prior to his loan move to Bolton in January, and as a result he still looks wasteful and prone to bad decision-making. Even so, this is a forward bursting with natural ability and the desire to win matches and, against his former club, it would be foolish to dismiss his potential impact.

Manchester City player to watch: Mario Balotelli. Though still endlessly making headlines, Balotelli has this season found that good form on the field significantly lessens the impact of the bad publicity. With seven goals in his last nine league games, and having been rested for all but the final nine minutes of Wednesday's victory over Bayern Munich, Roberto Mancini is likely to rely on his fellow Italian to lead the charge.

Key Battle: Juan Mata v David Silva. These former Valencia stars have adapted superbly well to life in the Premier League and may even be considered the key men for their respective clubs. With Mata having contributed seven assists in his last nine league games and Silva leading the assist charts with eight for the season, their ability to supply the forwards will have a major effect on Monday night. Mata has already heaped misery on his former Valencia colleagues this week and will hope his friend at City suffers the same fate on Monday.

Trivia: During Jose Mourinho's first season - when Andre Villas-Boas was part of the backroom team - Chelsea's only defeat came in a 1-0 defeat to Manchester City. The scorer of that penalty on October 16, 2004, was Nicolas Anelka, then of City and now in exile at Chelsea.

Stats: Although Manchester City have scored 24 goals in their seven away games in the league this season, Chelsea can take heart from the fact City have scored in only one of their last nine games at Stamford Bridge.


Match

a very crunch fixture that i have to wait till Monday to watch . . .

a Chelsea win it will be.

^^
dont get carried away yet.
I bet you wont see it coming this time.

@chelseabmw
shey no be this thread wey we dey?
E no far again.
Just a day after tomorrow.
I owe you one bottle!

Man City must win. With the spirit they used to play, Bayern, Chelsea will look lyk Norwich to them. 4-1 to Man City.

^ you are a good spectator.
Seasoned observer so to speak!

The FOOLISHH TEAM will lose. Chelsea will fall like a pack of cards. useless small team.

I sorry sorry o, I sorry for man city.

KenJADE:

Man City must win. With the spirit they used to play, Bayern, Chelsea will look lyk Norwich to them. 4-1 to Man City.

keep dreaming i don't want to make mouth but we are not loosing

switch47:

The FOOLISHH TEAM will lose. Chelsea will fall like a pack of cards. useless small team.

shup their jor if u call Chelsea a foolish and useless small team then what about ur big that is now in d europa league. USELESS FELLOW

I'm nt surprised Chelsea is winning d polls nw but wen d match is over, Chelsea fans wud come and vote for City. It happened against Liverpool, didn't it??

@chelseabmw,
i dey laugh shellsee in misirata!

Na die for chelsea

I support Chelsea in this game

Chelsea is sure winning Man city. We will add to their woes

which woes?? They only exited from d UCL cos their group was d hardest and they performed decently though. So I dnt see any woes. I wonder hw u watch football.

@high chief
woe?
Which woe? So you call man city being asked to play in the europa league a woe? See who is talking about woe! You guys are out of the carling cup,ya ouster in the f.a cup is an impending doom. So na una go come carry champions league abi? Una don lose hope for premier league,so what are we talking about.
I laugh you in benghazi!!

KenJADE:

which woes?? They only exited from d UCL cos their group was d hardest and they performed decently though. So I dnt see any woes. I wonder hw u watch football.

mikuz:

^^
woe?
Which woe? So you call man city being asked to play in the europa league a woe? See who is talking about woe! You guys are out of the carling cup,ya ouster in the f.a cup is an impending doom. So na una go come carry champions league abi? Una don lose hope for premier league,so what are we talking about.
I laugh you in benghazi!!

Woe is when you are not deemed fit to play among champions(you might not understand, given that you have not played much in UCL). The major tournament in europe, stop crying guys, not far off again.

mr. chief you better stop day dreaming and start facing reality.
Na only una qualify for the round of 16?
Wey person no go hear word again.
Wetin chelsea dey play self?
I pity una for that knockout stage sha.
No be nairaland we dey!?

nah man u go win jare

^^
are you lost or what?

no mind me joo,i bin dey tink of money wen i dey reply,i meant to say man city

he he

Chelsea will carry the night while City will carry the day

The best chelsea can hope for is a draw, cant see them winning this one

^^^

see your pig mouth ''Hope for a draw'' twseeeewww!

2 - 1

lampard brace