The draw for the next Champions League round is just around the corner, but before Manchester City could turn their attention to Europe, they faced another major test in the Premier League: Chelsea.
The situation in the Premier League table had forced Mourinho to field his strongest possible lineup for the derby. Chelsea, meanwhile, were arriving with plenty of confidence. Their recent League Cup performance had only added to the momentum, with player-manager Gianluca Vialli scoring a hat-trick in a commanding 4–1 third-round victory over Aston Villa.
For Manchester City, the timing could hardly have been worse. Three consecutive draws in the Premier League had slowed their progress, and they desperately needed to stop the downward trend before it became something more serious.
Chelsea, on the other hand, had started the season at a ferocious pace and were building momentum with every game.
