Manchester Metropolis will return to Premier League motion this weekend off the again of a vastly disappointing end in European competitors on Wednesday night time.
Pep Guardiola and his gamers headed into Europe within the week in buoyant temper after demolishing Ipswich City at Portman Street by way of a 0-6 scoreline, giving supporters loads of hope over a second-half of the season turnaround.
And with 35 minutes remaining on the Parc des Princes, these hopes had been correct after Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland put Manchester Metropolis right into a 0-2 lead, solely to seek out Paris Saint-Germain degree moments later.
The hosts wouldn’t ease off both, and follow-up targets from Joao Neves and Goncalo Ramos added to Ousmane Dembele and Bradley Barcola’s strikes to place Luis Enrique’s squad into management and in the end win the sport 4-2 within the league part of the Champions League.
The go to of Chelsea represents a transparent alternative for Manchester Metropolis to interrupt into the Premier League’s top-four, and never for a restricted time both, as Enzo Maresca’s aspect at present occupy fourth spot by a two-point margin over the reigning top-flight champions.
It could possibly be the proper enhance for Pep Guardiola and his Manchester Metropolis gamers too as they flip their attentions instantly to UEFA Champions League duties as soon as extra, as Membership Brugge go to the Etihad Stadium subsequent week on matchday eight of the league part.
Earlier than then nevertheless, and forward of the assembly between Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea this weekend, the Premier League have now introduced the checklist of match officers to supervise proceedings on the Etihad Stadium!
Match Referee
The Premier League have confirmed that the match referee for this weekend’s assembly between Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea will likely be John Brooks – in what will likely be his eleventh English top-flight outing of the season to date.
Sadly for the hosts this weekend, the Leicestershire official has solely overseen proceedings involving Metropolis on one earlier Premier League event this season and that got here in a 0-4 residence defeat to Tottenham.
Throughout all of their matches involving John Brooks because the lead referee, Manchester Metropolis have recorded six wins in 9 matches, with the opposite three leading to defeats to Brentford, Aston Villa, and the latest drubbing courtesy of Spurs.
Brooks is but to concern a single pink card this season, however has handed out a complete of 53 yellow playing cards throughout his 10 Premier League matches within the marketing campaign, awarding two penalties within the course of.
Assistant Referees
Accompanying John Brooks on the sphere on the Etihad Stadium this weekend will likely be an appointed assistant referee pairing of Simon Bennett and Dan Robathan, the Premier League have confirmed.
Video Assistant Referees
As for the pairing of officers overseeing Manchester Metropolis towards Chelsea from Stockley Park’s VAR Hub, the Premier League have confirmed that Stuart Attwell will tackle the position of Video Assistant Referee, with Neil Davies because the Assistant Video Assistant Referee.
Fourth Official
Standing between the 2 dugouts and making certain that every one is in verify between Pep Guardiola and Enzo Maresca’s Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea benches is the appointed fourth official, Lewis Smith.
