Saturday morning in Asia. For Chelsea supporters globally, the nine-day countdown to Sunday 12 April's home fixture against Manchester City has begun. Here is why Chelsea supporters have genuine reason for optimism heading into the biggest home game of the season. 1. Stamford Bridge is a fortress this season: Chelsea's home record under Maresca has been among the better performances from a mid-table position. The crowd, when engaged, creates an atmosphere that unsettles opponents. 2. Palmer is in form: the 22-year-old has been producing his best football since his exceptional 2023-24 debut season. Against opponents who struggled to contain him before, his current form makes him genuinely dangerous. 3. City are not invincible away from the Etihad: despite their domestic dominance, City have dropped points in away fixtures this season. Stamford Bridge has historically been one of their more challenging venues. 4. Motivation is maximum: every external question about Chelsea — the financial losses, the ownership model, the managerial change — gets answered most powerfully by a Premier League result against one of the world's best teams. 5. Maresca is prepared: nine days of detailed preparation. The team will know exactly what City try to do. Good morning. Sunday 12 April is coming. 📅 Sun 12 Apr, 07:30 UTC | Stamford Bridge 🏆 GW30 | Saturday Morning Optimism