Will Jose Mourinho or Pellegrini win the tactics battle, is Oscar or Silva set to steal the show, and should it be Cahill or Luiz up against Aguero?

Chat 212 - Nig - Mail Summary...

• Oscar or Silva set to steal the show...
• Or should it be Cahill or Luiz up against Aguero?
• Here's what the statistics tell us... Which playmaker will steal the show

Chat 212 SportsMail... Report
Chelsea take on Manchester City this weekend in a battle of two of the Premier League big spenders. How will Jose Mourinho and Manuel Pellgrini do on the sidelines? Who will win in the battle between David Silva Oscar and will Gary Cahill be able to deal with Sergio Aguero

1) Which manager will win the tactical battle?

Manuel Pellgrini’s passion for flair and risk will suit Jose Mourinho who seems to have decided the counter-attack works best for this set of players and, against a close title rival like City, will not feel any pressure from the stands to take the initiative in terms of possession.

What the stats say:

Mourinho had the upper hand when the two met in Spain. His Real Madrid won six out of eight games against Pellegrini’s Malaga, losing only once and scoring 28 goals. But he won’t have it so easy on Sunday. Though Chelsea have averaged 62.1 per cent possession at Stamford Bridge this season - the best home figure in the league - Pellegrini’s City average 64.2 per cent possession on the road - another league-high.

2) Which playmaker will steal the show — Oscar or Silva?

Oscar has been Chelsea’s best player this season, more mature, decisive and influential than last term and with a goal touch that Silva, for all his trickery and flamboyance, is yet match. Whoever can provide chances for their front man will surely end up on top.

What the stats say:

Oscar has scored four league goals this season, double Silva’s tally, but the Spaniard has created 20 chances for his team-mates in just five appearances. Oscar has made 11 chances, but has played in three more games than Silva.

3) Should it be Cahill or Luiz up against Aguero?

Luiz has a natural instinct to step into the next line and engage with the creative forces like Silva, Nasri and Aguero if he drops deep, but this will leave spaces for City to exploit, whereas Cahill with John Terry would form a solid barrier and shift the onus onto their midfield screeners to stifle City’s creators. Luiz’s speed against Aguero is another crucial factor.

What the stats say:

Cahill has made 21 clearances this season, nearly double Luiz’s 12. The Englishman has also contested 22 aerial duels, far more than Luiz’s 6, but the Brazilian (5) has made more interceptions than Cahill (3).