WE live in a world of absolutes. There is no room for grey anymore. The middle ground has gone. Nuance grew tired of being overlooked and has taken its ball home.

So it is that Manchester City thrash Ipswich at Portman Road and the conclusion reached by most is that they are ‘back’. Their dramatic descent into crisis has become a thing of the past, as quickly as it arrived. They have rediscovered their superpowers and all is right at the Etihad again.

Only then they go to Paris and have every single one of their flaws and failings ruthlessly exposed and the pendulum wildly swings the other way.

Now they are rubbish anew. Broken. According to the BBC, they are ‘old and laboured’ and ‘highly vulnerable’.

Three days earlier, the same site was insisting that the Blues should still be considered title contenders after putting six past a promoted side with just three wins to their name.

So which is it? Are City back, or still a shambles? It can’t be both, but it can be neither.

The truth is that amidst their stupefying collapse the reigning champions have remembered how to be flat-track bullies. To flex their might and capitalize on their superior quality against lesser sides and this at least will prevent them plummeting down the table.

Against decent opposition, however, the problems remain stark, not least their lack of legs in midfield that leaves them ill-protected to swift and clever transitions. It’s a concern that has a knock-on effect too, because so painfully aware of this are the players that it leaves them trepidatious in possession. This results in a Pep Guardiola team struggling to bypass the most routine of presses.

None of this bodes well with Chelsea on the horizon. It doesn’t bode well either for subsequent fixtures against Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, Spurs and Forest. No doubt Leicester will be pummeled into submission in early April.

Chelsea have received almost exactly one yellow card more than City per 90 this season while Moises Caicedo has been booked in four of his last five encounters with City. Chelsea over 2.5 cards and Caicedo to get a card offers up 11/5

Yet let’s not succumb to absolutes. Let’s not fall into that trap. For all this doom and gloom, there are positives to be gleaned from recent weeks because domestically at least City have notably improved with key personnel returning to the fore.

Kevin de Bruyne looked thoroughly shattered in Paris but in Suffolk he put in a performance of old, energized, sharp and assisting twice. The midfielder has long been a thorn in Chelsea’s side, previously scoring five goals in this contest.

Then there’s Phil Foden, a faint facsimile of his usual self for much of this campaign but reinvigorated since the new year. Netting in each of his last three league outings, no Premier League player has scored more in 2025.

Back Foden to score or assist at the Etihad at 23/20

Put another way, City can now rely on their brilliant individuals to get them through if all else fails while, with Saturday in mind, another player is critical. Regrettably nobody knows at present if Ruben Dias will be fit enough to start.

On six occasions, across their crisis, City have relinquished a one or two goal advantage in a short period of time, a habit that smacks of psychological weakness.

Brighton got their decisive goals within five minutes while Man United did so in 180 seconds. Both Brentford and Sporting threw their combination punches eight minutes apart while Feyenoord needed only seven. Last night, Dembele and Barcola brought PSG level with goals after 56 and 60 minutes.

It is telling that Dias was only on the pitch for one of these quick collapses, he being a captain who wouldn’t stand for such frailty.

Typically, leaders are needed in the trenches, when teams are in the mire. Evidently City need guidance the most when things are going well.

Manchester City/Draw is a long-shot worth taking at 10/1

Not that City are alone in struggling to maintain leads. Chelsea have scored first against Fulham, Palace and Bournemouth in recent weeks but accrued a mere two points for their troubles. It may also be relevant that they’re winless in three on the road.

Like City with Dias, the visitors will also be desperately hoping one of their main men is passed fit for this marquee clash that has City unbeaten in ten from past meetings.

Enzo Fernandez may not get the acclaim Cole Palmer receives, or the column inches devoted to others, but he is crucial to his namesake Enzo Maresca’s set-up. The Argentine is averaging 2.1 key passes per 90 this term while nine of his passes have resulted in goals. He makes Chelsea tick and furthermore has the attributes to fully harm a malfunctioning City midfield.

Elsewhere, though results have largely gone against them since the festive period, there are lots of reasons to believe Chelsea’s top four spot can be consolidated this weekend.

They are second only to Liverpool for shots on target in 2024/25 (6.2 per 90). The same is true of big chances created (79 in total).

Even their recent propensity for conceding leads can be spun positively, it highlighting their habit of scoring early. Maresca’s men have converted inside 25 minutes in four of their last five contests.

City also tend to score early, especially at home, converting inside 20 mins in seven of their 10 at the Etihad. Over 1.5 goals in the first half is a shout at Evens

So where does all this leave us? Nicolas Jackson is enduring something of a goal drought, last scoring seven and a half hours ago, and it’s easy to imagine the striker spurning chances. The same cannot be said of Erling Haaland who has bagged five in five.

As regards creativity, both Foden and Palmer should be prominent, the pair former team-mates of course. It’s hard to call this particular match-up.

Lastly, there are City’s weaknesses to consider, flaws that Guardiola cannot amend and Maresca will be acutely aware of. PSG hammered at them mercilessly in Paris and Chelsea will be intent on doing likewise.

Let the cards fall where they may but let’s stop wondering when the real Manchester City will stand up. For the time being this is the real City, residing in the grey, not broken nor mended.

BTTS, Haaland to have over 1.5 SOT and City most corners tempts at 5/2

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