Tactics: the 5 key players ahead of Chelsea v Man City

Chelsea versus Manchester City is the first major clash of the Premier League season, and judging by their respective starts it promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the most intelligent tacticians in world football.

It is also the first real test for both Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola, and an opportunity for both managers to prove that their tactical model for the 2017/18 Premier League season is strong enough to challenge for honours.

Here are the five key players that could decide the outcome on Saturday evening:

1) Leroy Sane

There is one small chink in the Chelsea armour, and though barely perceptible Man City are perfectly set up to stick the knife in. Victor Moses is continually improving in his right wing-back role but can occasionally still be found too far away from Cesar Azpilicueta, particularly when balls are clipped into Chelsea’s right-hand channel. On Saturday, Moses could find himself too preoccupied with Danilo and allow a gap to open across the back five.

Sane is having a magnificent season and is forging a brilliant relationship with David Silva, who consistently chips the ball down the left in search of the Brazilian. Few players in world football can match Sane’s out-to-in arching runs, and Silva is the perfect playmaker to compliment the youngster. Together, these two are likely to exploit any hole between Moses and Azpilicueta, mimicking the move for Sane’s opener against Crystal Palace last weekend.

2) Tiemoue Bakayoko

The most difficult task for any Man City opponent is tracking Kevin de Bruyne, whose assertiveness on the ball and constant movement off it adds a sense of purpose to those long spells of City possession. Chelsea will not sit back and invite pressure but they won’t try and win the possession battle either; we can expect N’Golo Kante and Tiemoue Bakayoko to snap at the heels of the City midield high up the pitch, with the aim to stamp out De Bruyne’s authority and leave Silva to ghost harmlessly around the pitch.

Bakayoko is surely Chelsea’s key player on Saturday. He must ensure that he is disciplined positionally, or else Silva and De Bruyne will find the spaces they crave. Keep an eye on the Premier League new boy playing in his first high-pressure and high-pressing English game. If he attempts to press everyone that enters his zone – whether it’s John Stones or Fernandinho – then he will lose track of the Belgium international.

3) Eden Hazard

It might seem obvious to pick out Chelsea’s world-class playmaker as a key player, but Man City’s defensive openness means that any left inside-forward holds a tactical advantage over Guardiola’s team. It just so happens that Hazard will occupy this space on Saturday.

Crystal Palace could easily have scored two first-half goals against City last weekend as Christian Benteke fed Ruben Loftus-Cheek to burst through the centre on the counter. It was alarming to see how frequently – and easily – Palace’s attackers found space, highlighting a serious structural flaw that City cannot afford to repeat against Chelsea.

Fernandinho is left alone in front of the two centre-backs, forming a wide defensive triangle that cannot cover all the spaces at once. If Hazard stays infield from the left, he should be able to take up a position behind Fernandinho that will cause plenty of issues, particularly if Alvaro Morata makes diagonal runs to stretch the centre-backs and create space for Hazard to drive into.

4) Fabian Delph

Although unlikely to start, Delph is an excellent option from the bench both defensively and offensively. The former Aston Villa midfielder has the tenacity and intelligence needed to help City win the fight against Kante and Bakoyoko (particularly as legs tire in the second half), while his ability to weave and dance through the middle makes him a serious goal threat.

Chelsea’s brilliant defensive organisation means it is almost impossible to pass the ball through the centre of the pitch, no matter how fluid the movements of the central midfielders. Consequently, Deph’s unusual ability to pierce the lines in possession could become a vital factor. Guardiola admitted after the 2-0 defeat of Shakhtar Donetsk in midweek that he feels “personal regret” for not playing Delph more regularly. He should feature at some point.

5) Victor Moses

Aside from his defensive importance when marking Leroy Sane, Moses could be a key player at Stamford Bridge when Chelsea pour forward on the counter. Conte is a reactive tactician who seeks to exploit any perceived weaknesses in the opposition, and therefore Benjamin Mendy’s replacement – Danilo or Delph – will be targeted.

With Willian a likely starter due to his defensive diligence, Moses might be largely alone when Chelsea surge down that side of the pitch (Eden Hazard rarely drifts so far from the left), but the Nigerian is more than capable of making things happen all by himself. Chelsea will know to pounce down the right as often as possible, making Moses’s battle with Danilo the most intriguing head-to-head.