Also follow the live blogging reports of the game, where we will keep you posted on all the goals as they go in from this game. Their traditionally strong home form has also not been evident in 2015/16, with Mark Hughes’ side winning just two of their six matches at the Britannia Stadium.
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For all of the visitors’ attacking prowess, just seven of their 30 goals have come away from home – though their tally of four goals conceded on the road is a league-best.
City were forced to play the last 18 minutes with 10 men after Fernando limped off but in truth hardly any of their players turned up in what was woeful display against a very impressive Stoke side.
And Pellegrini has refused to rule out the prospect of leading his side to a clean sweep of all four trophies after a week in which they reached the League Cup semi-finals with victory over Hull City. David Silva will be making his first league start since the beginning of October and he will support the lone man up front alongside Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne.
Striker Peter Crouch limped off with a hamstring injury in midweek and is a doubt, but Mame Biram Diouf is set to return after missing the Wednesday game to attend the birth of his child.
Our City fans are concerned as they believe it could prove detrimental to their Premier League and Champions League campaign, particularly with the race in the domestic league extremely tight. They are getting back on the trail now after a decent 3-1 win against Southampton last week with Fabian Delph getting his first goal for the Cityzens.
Chelsea will be out to continue their revival when they host struggling Bournemouth in the late game of the day.
But Pellegrini said: “We made the decision last year because we had three players injured and Kelechi (Iheanacho) was one year younger and he was not the player he is today”.
“I don’t think there’s a lack of leaders”, he added.
De Bruyne has only started two matches alongside the World Cup victor since his move from Wolfsburg but Pellegrini is confident the two players will gel.
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“We were on a great run before the Sunderland away game when we didn’t get the result we wanted”, the 32-year-old said. Each and every one of them put in a high level performance and a effect of that we were able to win against the team top of the pile.
