The evening of December 12, at London's Stamford Bridge.
Referee Mark Clattenburg was conducting the coin toss for the two captains of Man City and Chelsea. In front of the home team's bench, Chelsea manager Boas looked somewhat tense. He glanced around, then turned to look toward the directors' box behind him.
Chelsea owner Abramovich was seated in the stands tonight, accompanied by the club's management.
This match was a major test for Boas.
Chelsea had paid €15 million in compensation to bring him in, setting a world record for the highest compensation ever paid for a manager. But Chelsea's results had been thoroughly disappointing, and even Boas himself found them hard to stomach.
Whatever happened, they had to win tonight!
As for the starting lineup, Boas had once again retained the same formation he had used against Valencia in the Champions League.
Čech was in goal. The back line consisted of Ashley Cole, Terry, Ivanović, and Bosingwa. The midfield trio was Meireles, Romeu, and Ramires, while the front three were Juan Mata, Drogba, and Sturridge.
The entire lineup was exactly the same as in their midweek Champions League match.
This was deliberate on Boas's part. He hoped the team could maintain the tactics and form they had shown against Valencia in the Champions League.
That had been one of Chelsea's best performances of the season. Their defense had been excellent, and their attack had been razor-sharp. Boas hoped to see that Chelsea again tonight.
Terry and Drogba, one at the back and one at the front, had been among the best performers in that match. They were also the team's most indispensable pillars, so Boas didn't dare touch them. But in midfield, he had left Lampard out for several matches in a row.
To him, this represented his adherence