Manchester City v Chelsea – Line-ups, stats and preview
Chelsea faces a challenging task on Sunday as they head to the Etihad Stadium to compete against Manchester City in the Premier League, with the away side arriving without a permanent head coach following the exit of Enzo Maresca.
The Blues have not defeated Pep Guardiola’s team since the 2021 Champions League final, and City will be eager to extend that streak as they pursue points in the title race.
Chelsea’s rocky start to the new year continued on New Year’s Day, when Enzo Maresca was let go after 18 months in charge.
Although he brought home the Conference League and Club World Cup, the Italian was dismissed due to a string of two league wins out of seven and a dip in their domestic performance.
In all competitions, Chelsea has secured victory just twice in their last nine outings, a slump that coincides poorly with this weekend’s trip to Manchester.
While Chelsea holds the fifth place in the standings, the competition is tight. They are tied on points with Manchester United, a mere point above Sunderland, and close to several teams below them, which means another loss could severely impact their aspirations for a top-four finish.
Manchester City, on the other hand, saw their six-match winning streak in the Premier League come to an end with a goalless draw against Sunderland on Thursday. Despite controlling significant portions of the match, Guardiola’s squad was unable to penetrate a determined Black Cats defense, allowing Arsenal to build a four-point gap at the top.
If other results do not favor them this weekend, City could find themselves trailing by seven points at kick-off, increasing the urgency to claim full points against a Chelsea team in transition.
Team news for Manchester City v Chelsea
Manchester City welcomed back Jeremy Doku on Thursday and allocated valuable minutes to Rodri, but the draw in Sunderland came with a price.
Savinho and Nico Gonzalez both sustained injuries and are uncertain for Sunday’s matchup.
They might join Oscar Bobb, John Stones, and Mateo Kovacic unavailable, while Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait Nouri remain engaged with the Africa Cup of Nations.
Erling Haaland did not find the net against Sunderland, yet he has scored in three of his last four appearances versus Chelsea and netted twice in his latest outing at the Etihad.
Chelsea will miss Moises Caicedo, who is serving a one-match ban after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season. Levi Colwill, Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo, and Jorrel Hato are also out, while Marc Cucurella’s status will be evaluated.
Interim coach Calum McFarlane is likely to position Cole Palmer in an advanced midfield role, backed by Enzo Fernandez and Reece James.
Expected line-ups for Manchester City v Chelsea
Manchester City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Silva, Rodri, Reijnders; Cherki, Foden; Haaland
Chelsea: Sanchez; Acheampong, Fofana, Chalobah, Gusto; James, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro
How to watch Manchester City v Chelsea: TV channel, online stream
Kick-off on Sunday is at 17:30 GMT (13:30 ET / 09:30 PT), with live coverage available in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event.
Through Now TV, Sky Sports prices start at £14.99 for a daily pass, £28 a month for a year-long subscription, or £34.99 a month without a contract.
Sky Sports memberships provide access to all 12 live Sky Sports channels and Sky Sports+, which includes live streams and a dedicated channel.
Streaming is available on numerous devices using the Sky GO app.
The stats for Manchester City v Chelsea
• Manchester City remains unbeaten in their last 11 encounters with Chelsea across all competitions
• Chelsea has not triumphed at the Etihad Stadium since May 2021
• Man City has secured five victories in their last six Premier League matches
• Chelsea has managed only two wins in their previous nine games in all competitions
• City has found the net at least twice in four of their last five home league fixtures
• Chelsea is without a win in their last three Premier League away matches
Prediction
Manchester City
3
–
0
Chelsea
Chelsea’s visit to the Etihad was always poised to be challenging, and lacking a permanent manager further complicates matters against one of the league’s most formidable home teams. Manchester City is expected to showcase too much quality and control for a fragile Chelsea side.
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Published: 2026-01-03 13:29:00
source: www.101greatgoals.com
