CHELSEA have inhabited multiple personalities this season, two of which were on view at Selhurst Park this week.

In the first half, they racked up 420 passes without managing a single shot on target and we know this incarnation of Mauricio Pochettino’s side well having seen it several times over in 2023/24. This is the Chelsea who struggle against a low block, the one that looks slick in parts but woefully lack a cutting edge up front.

It is this version of the Blues that has especially exasperated their fans, showing glimpses of who they could become if only they had a reliable finisher on the pitch.

It’s apt therefore that Christopher Nkunku’s introduction at half-time improved the visitors on Monday, making them more purposeful and dangerous, though it was less about the striker getting further minutes under his belt after injury and more about a tactical switch that put Cole Palmer on the right.

With greater space to roam, the 21-year-old supplied two late assists meaning he has contributed a goal involvement every 94 minutes this term.

Amidst the chaos and calamities of a club in perpetual crisis, the owners must count their blessings on a nightly basis that they at least got one decision so very right in signing Palmer from Manchester City this summer.

Back Palmer to give his former employers a fright with over 0.5 shots on target at 3/4. Chelsea’s best player is averaging 2.4 shots per 90

Prior to Palace, we witnessed yet another version of Chelsea as they were downed in quick succession by Liverpool and Wolves. This was them as an unholy mess. A textbook example of how to run a club badly and the direct consequences of that.

At Anfield they were out-thought and versus Wolves they were out-fought and in both instances they shipped in four goals.

It may be simplistic reasoning but it’s pertinent nonetheless that when this particular Chelsea show up, they may as well not.

Pochettino’s side have amassed more yellows than any other side in the top-flight. Full time Manchester City, City most corners, and most cards Chelsea is a shout at 9/5

These meek surrenders were the third and fourth time the Blues have hemorrhaged goals in recent months and naturally enough it’s their 4-4 draw with City that most intrigues, a bizarre game that had every different personality trait of the hosts come to the fore.

Chelsea were spirited that afternoon, equalizing on three occasions. They accrued nine shots on target and not many teams rack up that number against Pep Guardiola’s men. With points to prove, Palmer and Raheem Sterling were highly impactful throughout.

But at the back the same flaws that have cost them dear all season were all-too-evident with individual mistakes punished. Only Tottenham have made more errors leading to shots and as a City side enduring a wobble at the time were allowed back into the contest over and over we saw the most dominant of Chelsea’s many personalities emerge. The one that has them as their own worst enemy.

City’s downfall in November – if you can describe a draw at Stamford Bridge in such dramatic terms – was largely due to getting sucked into the maelstrom of their opponent’s madness but that won’t happen at the Etihad this Saturday evening.

Instead we will likely see the ruthless City of old, the title-winning machine who last season focused only on themselves and what they enact best, in doing so beating Chelsea four times, across three competitions, each time to nil.

That’s because this is a City collective that has its mojo back, a side that has successfully ridden out a slight identity crisis, rediscovered their control, and subsequently have put together an eleven game unbeaten run.

Between them, these sides have received 13 penalties in 2023/24 and there have been four awarded in their last three meetings. A tempting 19/10 says another is given on Saturday

It’s a run most recently extended by eventually besting a stubborn and well-organised Everton last weekend, a test of their patience and belief that may have tripped them up earlier in the campaign.

Only now Kevin de Bruyne is back, and Erling Haaland is back, and with the former setting up the latter so has returned their inherent, iron-clad trust that if they keep probing and move the ball around sharply, the goals will come. Which they duly did late-on with a Haaland brace.

The Striking Viking has a xGOT of 15.2 for the season, scoring 0.97 per 90.

Julian Alvarez meanwhile has notched or assisted in each of his four previous encounters with Chelsea but it’s the explosive form of Phil Foden that cannot be ignored, the 23-year-old boasting 10 goal involvements in 10.

It’s revealing that when City hit a proverbial brick wall against Everton the switching of Foden to the middle changed the game’s narrative completely.

Back Foden to score anytime at 15/8

With Jeremy Doku averaging 5.2 successful dribbles per 90 on the other flank such riches going forward have meant a surprising struggle to keep clean sheets has not been a major issue for the reigning champions, but it still suggests both teams will score. After all, despite their troubles this term, Chelsea have only failed to convert twice since September.

But no, this feels like a one-sided affair, echoing the results of last season, with that high-scoring draw in the capital disregarded as an anomaly.

Chelsea face an extremely uncomfortable exposing of their limitations at the Etihad, no matter which version of themselves shows up.

City have scored inside 31 mins in 10 of their 11 home games this term. The hosts to be ahead at the break offers up 10/13