Manchester City vs Chelsea: Will a managerless Chelsea derail Man City's title hopes?
by Thobelani Moyo | by Thobelani Moyo
The Citizens are a different breed at the Etihad Stadium
Manchester City was mindful of the threat posed by Sunderland in their recent Premier League fixture. The Citizens boast the best offensive record this season, scoring an eye-popping 43 goals in 19 games (2.26 per game), but that attacking prowess was nowhere to be seen at the Stadium of Light.
For the second time on the road this season, Pep Guardiola's men failed to rattle the net after snatching a point against the Black Cats in an evenly balanced contest with no goals to show for it.
At present, they are third in the league standings with 41 points amassed and are seven points behind table-toppers Arsenal. There's no need to press the panic button, considering they have a game in hand and could cut down the point gap to just four with a win in this impending encounter. Find out what our experts have to say in our Manchester City vs Chelsea prediction for more insights on the match.
To their advantage, they return to their stronghold – the Emirates Stadium. Home is definitely where the heart has been for the Citizens, and Pep Guardiola has no complaints but praises for his team's performance at this venue.
Tottenham Hotspur remains the only team to have pulled the biggest heist of the century by snatching three points from them in their opening home game to become the first side since the 2020-21 season to secure back-to-back away wins against a Guardiola-managed club.
After that setback, the Citizens have been on a dominant run, winning eight consecutive home games (2.67 points per game). Will they be able to maintain this unbeaten run?
Enzo Maresca leaves Chelsea amid slump
In a surprising turn of events, Enzo Maresca parted ways with Chelsea on Thursday after 18 months in charge since his appointment in July 2024. He oversaw 90 matches with the club, and his profile as head coach at Stamford Bridge was impressive, boasting a 61% win ratio from winning 55 games (D15, L20).
During that period, Maresca guided the club to their first UEFA Europa Conference League title and also clinched the FIFA Club World Cup. Among his most commendable accomplishments at the helm was bringing the UEFA Champions League to Stamford Bridge for the first time since 2022.
What went wrong? It appears there was tension between Enzo Maresca and the club hierarchy because of a lack of support. On top of that, recent poor results could have also been a contributing factor, with the team winning just one of their last seven league games.
Chelsea's recent league game was a thrilling 2-2 draw against Bournemouth on December 30, 2025. Indeed, defeat was avoided, but that result did more damage than good as it extended their winless run to three games. Additionally, it has left them in fifth place and 18 points behind the top spot.
Now, under the guidance of caretaker Calum McFarlane, Chelsea will hope to register their first three points in three games. On paper, that should be an arduous task given they've gone eight matches without a win in this fixture.
Players to watch out for
Erling Haaland has been a force of nature this season for Manchester City as he leads the Premier League scoring charts with 19 goals and four assists. He has scored in his previous two games against Chelsea, not to mention he was directly involved in two goal involvements at home. It was unfortunate that he couldn't score in his previous game with Sunderland, with his performance in that match unconvincing.
Joao Pedro's impact at Chelsea this season has been positive. The clinical forward with flair has scored six goals and provided three assists in 19 league games. He has also scored in two of his last three games. If there's a person capable of breaking Manchester City's defense, which is the second-best in the league, Pedro is the man for the job!
