Manchester City and Chelsea meet in the derby of the EPL round 20 this Sunday. Hosts are after the top place and Arsenal, who now have four points more, while Chelsea has to keep on the pace and stay in the race for a spot in the Champions League next season.
Overall, this game will have huge implications on the EPL standings. It can be very impactful for both sides and both races, which is why it draws so much attention. Also, these two sides are big rivals, and that adds another dimension to Sunday’s clash.
EPL odds are available at this link, so all those eager to explore them can just follow it.
Manchester City VS Chelsea Preview
Manchester City
A draw on the road against Sunderland broke City’s 8-game winning streak. In all the events during that span, they would score two or more goals, showcasing an excellent offensive form, particularly by Haaland, who is the EPL top scorer with 19 goals, 8 more than Thiago from Brentford, who is placed second.
All over the pitch π
π€ @eAndGroup pic.twitter.com/56Eas9om1L
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 2, 2026
Another positive for Guardiola and his unit is that the defense performed well. It has kept four clean sheets in the past 5 games, and all those who remember City’s previous titles know it was the defense that stepped up when it mattered the most.
Looking only at the games at the Etihad, City has 9 wins and one tie in the last 10 appearances in front of its own crowd. In the last three, their goal difference is 8-0, and in all their wins, we saw them net at least 3 goals, which is another confirmation of their fantastic offensive potential this year.
Chelsea
Maresca is out, and the Blues are beheaded right now. What the hell happened between the Italian manager and the board, we don’t know, but what we can say is that this isn’t the smartest move of the Blues’ owner. But hey, that’s modern football.
π¨ Roman Abramovich criticises the UK government, saying political decisions and heavy rules damaged Chelsea and harmed football as a whole. pic.twitter.com/9c3V3qSEhm
— ππππππππ ξ¨ (@Oyinlola_cfc) January 2, 2026
As for their current form, it’s on the decline, with two ties and one loss in the latest three matches. Defense is terrible, allowing two goals in each of those meetings, and overall, that’s been their biggest weakness over the recent few weeks, especially on the road.
By the way, when looking at the away games, Chelsea has one win in the previous five, with two losses and ties, with just one clean sheet during this span, which was against Bournemouth, 0-0. By the way, that sole win was against Cardiff in the EFL Cup, not in the EPL.
Manchester City VS Chelsea Head to Head
City is undefeated in its last 12 games against Chelsea, winning 10 of them. Also, they have 4 straight wins, including last year’s friendly before the season. Regarding the EPL contests in the 2024/25 campaign, City posted wins 0-2 at Stamford and 3-1 at home.
Manchester City VS Chelsea Predictions
Chelsea will try to slow down City and its possession game, pressuring the rivals early on and then laying back, forming a block in their own midfield. Even though that has worked in the past, it won’t be beneficial for the Blues here because of their defensive troubles, while Man City’s excellent offensive form will be a factor.
We strongly believe that the Citizens will take all three points here, because of their incredible offensive potential, and the fact that all the lines in the team are much better synced than at the start of the year. The newcomers finally found their rhythm, creating chemistry with the old players, which is now yielding results.
Therefore, our pick is Manchester City to triumph.
