- Here is the Chelsea vs Manchester City prediction article which breaks down form, key players and H2H meetings ahead of the clash.
- The match will be staged at Stamford Bridge on Sunday April 12, 2026.
- Kickoff is at 6:30pm EAT.
Premier League fans are in for a treat on Sunday as Chelsea will be hosting title hopefuls Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
With Arsenal already stumbling in their title race on Saturday, where they dropped three crucial points at home after losing 2–1 to Bournemouth, Pep Guardiola’s side will be hoping to seize that advantage and pile on more pressure when they win on Sunday.
Arsenal’s loss means the Sky Blues are now nine points behind them with two games in hand, including this clash with the Blues.
A victory on Sunday would cut the gap to just six points, with the next fixture after this round seeing the two sides meet next weekend.
With the race heating up, Manchester City enter this contest buoyed after already clinching their first trophy of the season – -toppling Arsenal in the League Cup and they have also punched their ticket to the FA Cup semifinals.
This weekend, City head to London to take on a Chelsea side looking to make amends for a dismal display away at Everton in their last league outing, where they lost 3–0 before the international break.
That said, the Blues did storm into the FA Cup semifinals by thrashing Port Vale last week.
In addition, the Chelsea dressing room is currently experiencing internal tensions with coach Rosenior, particularly following the Enzo Fernandez–Real Madrid saga.
The fallout is set to carry into the weekend, as the midfielder serves the second of a two-game internal suspension.
Sitting sixth with 48 points, Chelsea are desperate for a top-five finish. That’s thanks to rivals Arsenal, who confirmed five UCL spots for English clubs next term after the Gunners’ Champions League success over Sporting Lisbon.
Here are the key details for the Chelsea vs Manchester City encounter, along with some betting tips for your wager on SportPesa, who offer instant payouts and a variety of markets.
What time does Chelsea vs Manchester City clash kick off?
The blockbuster encounter is set for 6:30pm EAT on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Stamford Bridge.
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Chelsea vs Manchester City team news
For the hosts, Reece James (thigh), Levi Colwill (knee), Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (thigh), Filip Jorgensen (groin), and Trevoh Chalobah (ankle) will all miss action on Sunday, though Badiashile could return from an illness.
While Enzo Fernandez remains cordial, Rosenior has confirmed the former Benfica man will stay absent for the visit of Man City, joining the long-banished Mykhaylo Mudryk due to doping allegations.
Meanwhile, Man City’s fitness issues are solely concentrated in defense, as Ruben Dias knock) and Josko Gvardiol (leg) remain missing for the visitors.
John Stones pulled out of the England squad with a calf problem too, but Guardiola said on Friday that the centre-back could train partially ahead of the game.
Blues vs Sky Blues predicted lineups
- Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Santos, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Estevao; Pedro.
- Man City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Silva, Rodri; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland
Chelsea vs Manchester City head-to-head record and recent meetings
In the all-time record between the two clubs, Chelsea have won twice as many fixtures as City 69 victories compared to 67. There have been 43 draws.
In the first leg fixture back in January, Chelsea managed to snatch a point after a 94th-minute equalizer from Enzo Fernandez. Tijjani Reijnders had opened the scoring for the home side just before half-time.
The Blues’ last win over City was in the Champions League final in Porto in May 2021.
Their last league victory against City came earlier that same month at the Etihad (2–1), when Hakim Ziyech and Marcos Alonso netted the goals.
Last five Premier League meetings
- Jan 4, 2026: Man City 1–1 Chelsea
- Jan 25, 2025: Man City 3–1 Chelsea
- Aug 18, 2024: Chelsea 0–2 Man City
- Feb 17, 2024: Man City 1–1 Chelsea
- Nov 12, 2023: Chelsea 4–4 Man City
Chelsea vs Manchester City prediction and betting tips
Man City have won four of their last five Premier League games at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea’s last home win against them came during the pandemic in June 2020, behind closed doors.
The Blues have kept just one clean sheet in their last 23 Premier League meetings with Manchester City – a 2–0 home win in December 2018 under Maurizio Sarri.
Manchester City have lost only one of their last 18 Premier League games (11 wins, six draws), going down 2–0 to Manchester United in January.
However, the Citizens have dropped ten points from winning positions in that run due to draws with Chelsea, Brighton, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham.
This is a match where it’s tough to predict a winner, as both sides have the capability of coming out on top.
But Manchester City will head into this road trip as favorites to win and take all three points, keeping the pressure on in the title race, while Chelsea need to finish in the top five to keep their Champions League hopes alive for next season.
So we can expect goals in this game if both sides take their chances well and therefore fans should be in for a thrilling match on Sunday.