Sergio Aguero absence makes this Chelsea’s game to lose

Sergio Aguero’s absence through a bizarre injury means that Chelsea should now be favourites to beat Manchester City on Saturday.

There are few reasons to rejoice at another man’s misfortune. Sergio Aguero’s bizarre injury in Amsterdam warrants nothing but sympathy. However, his absence on Saturday puts Chelsea into the driving seat as they welcome Manchester City.

Aguero confirmed that he had suffered a broken rib in his car accident on Thursday and Pep Guardiola could not say how long his star man would spend on the sidelines.

The Argentine has made six Premier League appearances this season and has scored six goals in the process. Amidst rumours indicating that he would lose his place in the starting eleven, Aguero has emphatically proved that he deserves to lead the line of a title-challenging team. His hat-trick against Watford was a fantastic showcase of all the striking traits needed to succeed in the Premier League.

While Aguero may not have been every Man City fan’s starting striker heading into the season, his performances mean that his loss will be felt. Both him and Gabriel Jesus have adapted their games to accommodate one another and City are reaping the rewards.

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Despite their own impressive run of form, Chelsea have not been viewed as the favourites for Saturday’s clash. Even at Stamford Bridge, a full-strength City side should edge the Blues. Without Aguero, though, the momentum and impetus will be with the home side.

Chelsea turned several heads midweek when they defeated Atletico Madrid in Spain. The last-minute winner and the 93 preceding minutes proved that, on their day, the Blues can hang with Europe’s finest.

Nevertheless, City have been so impressive that a poor day for them could easily see them register a victory.

With this Aguero development, Chelsea now have that something extra to latch onto. The defence will rest slightly easier knowing they won’t need to deal with both Jesus and Aguero. The midfielders and forwards will have a slightly larger license to concentrate on their attacking threat.

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The Blues must channel the spirit and workrate from Wednesday and press City from the first whistle. Given the developments over the last week, the ball is now in Chelsea’s court. Hopefully, Antonio Conte’s men can pick it up and run with it.