LONDON, AP:

How Jose Mourinho must long for the days last season when Chelsea was being goaded for being "boring". The start to the new campaign has been anything but mundane at Stamford Bridge.

Tumult has replaced apparent tranquility after losing the Community Shield to Arsenal and starting the Premier League title defence with a draw to Swansea.

A victory over Manchester City tomorrow, though, would quickly transform the mood surrounding the champions.

Perhaps that is why Mourinho has shielded his players from criticism even though goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will miss the trip to Manchester after being sent off against Swansea, with new signing Asmir Begovic taking his place.

Instead, it's the Chelsea medical staff in Mourinho's firing line. By publicly criticising his medical staff and removing Dr Eva Carneiro from her match-day role, Mourinho has generated a new wave of damaging headlines for the club.

Mourinho's failure to strengthen the squad is now biting, with a couple of weeks remaining in the summer transfer window.

First-choice striker Diego Costa is not fully fit and new back-up Radamel Falcao has much to prove after a lacklustre season at Manchester United. Mourinho wants to strengthen a defence that was exposed against Swansea with the addition of John Stones but Everton are rebuffing Chelsea's pursuit of the centre back.

Manchester City, meanwhile, face Chelsea on a high after starting its quest to regain the trophy from the London club with a victory at West Bromwich Albion.

Unlike Chelsea, City made a high-profile addition to their squad by signing Raheem Sterling from Liverpool for £49 million ($76 million).

"It's going to be a really tough season," Sterling said. "With it being our first home game of the season, we want to get off on the right foot."