Today Chelsea FC and Manchester City will have a battle of the football giants at the Ethiad stadium. The Blues currently sit 3rd in the table, and three points behind City, making this one of the biggest games of the season. When the teams met earlier in the season at Stamford Bridge, it seemed that the game would end in a draw, until Fernando Torres took advantage of an error from the City defense and gave Chelsea a vital 2-1 victory.

This game will prove to be interesting for a number of reasons. The combination of player and formation is always a big talking point, the chess match between managers Jose Mourinho and Manuel Pellegrini, and the performances of the big name players. It can be argued that if Chelsea lose, their title hopes will be finished as well, so it’s important that they go into the game with the right approach. Here are a couple of things that Chelsea can do to keep themselves right in the thick of the title race.

Start John Obi Mikel and Frank Lampard in defensive midfield

It is important that Mourinho gets his selection right, especially in defensive midfield and the back four. Against a team that poses the attacking threat that Manchester City does, starting Mikel is a must. He is very defensive minded, and rarely plays risky. He’ll be the one to drop further back to disrupt City attacks and retain possession for the Blues. Frank Lampard should also be chosen in the starting XI. His advancing years have caused him to be a bit more defensive minded rather than box-to-box, which in this situation is ideal. Also, his experience in big games and penchant for scoring crucial goals can only help the Chelsea cause.

Be quicker in the middle of the park

Concerning the likely five midfielders on the pitch, they have to play quick if Chelsea are to get anything from this game. Far too many times it seems as if Chelsea midfielders (specifically the defensive midfielders) dwell on the ball and waste attacking opportunities. This team is too talented for that to happen on a consistent basis. City have made the Ethiad a fortress so far this season, and Chelsea FC will have to pounce quickly if an opportunity presents itself. The DM’s should get it quickly to one of the attacking trio, who then will interchange and test the City defense.

Take the game to City

While the results away to Manchester United and Arsenal were what Chelsea wanted, a draw in this match would accomplish very little. While it is obviously important to keep it tight at the back, especially against a team with loads of talent like City, at some point Chelsea will have to surge forward and try to take all three points. As mentioned earlier, Chelsea are too good of a team to sit back and play for a point. Mourinho should put his faith in the likes of Oscar, Eden Hazard, and Willian in attempts to claim a previous victory.

All indications point to this being an excellent game. It features two clubs with plenty of quality players, two world class managers, and will have a great atmosphere. It will be interesting to see how both teams approach the game; but for Chelsea it is imperative for them to keep it tight at the back, counter quickly, and take their chances when it comes to them. If they can execute those three things, they may just be able to take all three points from the game today.