Preview: Manchester City vs. Chelsea - prediction, team news, lineups

What was already a daunting trip to the Etihad Stadium for Chelsea became even more challenging after Enzo Maresca’s dismissal, making Manchester City the clear favourites for Sunday’s Premier League round 20 fixture.

The Blues have not defeated Pep Guardiola’s men since the 2021 Champions League final, an 11-match run which City are favourites to extend against the managerless visitors.

Match preview

There is never a dull moment at Chelsea, and New Year’s Day brought even more drama as Maresca left his role as Blues head coach after 18 months in charge.

The Italian manager, recently linked to the Man City job, departs Stamford Bridge with two titles — the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup — but those trophies did not earn him favour with Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.

Were he still in the job, Maresca probably would have had to face questions about the possibility of replacing Guardiola in a few months; however, the higher-ups have instead given the former midfielder the chop after a dismal run of two league wins in seven.

The West London club’s run across all competitions reads two wins in the previous nine matches, further highlighting the world champions’ below-par results preceding the new year.

Those statistics paint a bleaker picture considering the capital club’s upcoming trip to the Etihad, where they have been winless in seven matches across all competitions since their 2-1 victory in May 2021 under Thomas Tuchel.

Three permanent head coaches later — five if interims are included — the five-time Premier League champions are still searching for victory in Manchester, and their precarious top-four hopes could take a further dent if recent history does not change this weekend.

Although Chelsea are fifth in the table, three points off Liverpool in fourth, the Blues are just above Manchester United on goal difference, one point clear of Sunderland, two above Everton and three ahead of Brentford, Crystal Palace and Fulham.

The Etihad is not where anyone would want to head if they are winless in three league away games, but interim boss Calum McFarlane will hope for a miracle against the title contenders.

Man City’s six-match winning run in the competition was halted by Sunderland on Thursday when both teams played out a goalless encounter at the Stadium of Light.

Far from the usual dull goalless game, the matchday 19 fixture was undeniably entertaining for the neutral, with the Black Cats giving all they had to extend their unbeaten start to the season on Wearside, thus ending the Sky Blues’ eight-match winning run against them.

The upshot of Thursday’s draw was celebration in North London, as Arsenal have now opened a four-point lead in the title race, having defeated Aston Villa 4-1 to conclude 2025.

Guardiola’s team could be seven points adrift of Mikel Arteta’s troops by the time they take to the pitch on Sunday, with the Gunners travelling to off-form Bournemouth in the tea-time fixture a day earlier, magnifying the need for a City win on Sunday.

History in this fixture has favoured the Citizens in recent years, underlined by the 11-match unbeaten streak the Manchester giants carry into this weekend, highlighting their dominance over the capital club since losing three in a row in the space of two months between April and May 2021.

With those chastening defeats a mere memory, the hosts will believe Chelsea are there for the taking, and they will back themselves to punish a vulnerable London outfit in the final match of gameweek 20.

Manchester City Premier League form:

Manchester City form (all competitions):

Chelsea Premier League form:

Chelsea form (all competitions):

Team News

While Jeremy Doku was welcomed back by City at the Stadium of Light and Rodri secured significant minutes for the first time since October, Guardiola’s men lost Savinho and Nico Gonzalez to injury on Wearside.

As a result of those apparent issues, the home team could now be without as many as seven players: the above pair could join Oscar Bobb (hamstring), John Stones (thigh) and Mateo Kovacic (heel) on the treatment table while Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait Nouri are with Egypt and Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Erling Haaland failed to score for Pep’s team at Sunderland, meaning he has now not scored at two grounds in top-flight football after Anfield; however, the Norwegian netted a brace in his last match at the Etihad (West Ham) and has scored in three of the past four appearances against Sunday’s visitors.

The London outfit will assess Marc Cucurella before Sunday’s trip, but they should be without the services of Levi Colwill (knee), Romeo Lavia (thigh), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Jorrel Hato.

Perhaps the biggest miss is Moises Caicedo, who is suspended for one match after picking up an early booking against Bournemouth last time out, ruling him out as it was his fifth of the season.

With Maresca gone, it will be interesting to see if McFarlane springs any real tactical surprises for the London club, who are expected to start Cole Palmer in an advanced position in midfield ahead of Enzo Fernandez and Reece James at the base.

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Silva, Rodri, Reijnders; Cherki, Foden; Haaland

Chelsea possible starting lineup:

Sanchez; Acheampong, Fofana, Chalobah, Gusto; James, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro

We say: Manchester City 3-1 Chelsea

With Maresca, Chelsea were always up against it at the Etihad on Sunday, and the Blues face a significantly more brutal battle without the Italian manager.

Guardiola’s team are expected to secure a comfortable victory over their London opponents, thereby extending their unbeaten run in this fixture to 12 matches.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.