WHO: Chelsea-Manchester City
That: first division
Where: Stamford Bridge, London
When: Sunday, April 12 at 4:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 12:30 GMT ahead of our live text commentary broadcast.
Second-placed City travel to Chelsea on Sunday as the title race approaches a crucial moment.
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League leaders Arsenal went into the weekend nine points ahead of City, having played one more game than Pep Guardiola’s team.
That lead would increase to 12 points if Arsenal beat Bournemouth on Saturday, putting City under intense pressure to pick up maximum points in their difficult trip to Stamford Bridge.
Sixth-placed Chelsea are trying to get their quest for Champions League qualification back on track after taking just five points from the last 18 available.
With five English teams guaranteed to be in Europe’s top club football competition next season, the Blues begin the weekend one point behind fifth-placed Liverpool.
City must be perfect after inconsistent season, says Guardiola
Guardiola said on Friday that an inconsistent Manchester City side have little margin for error in the Premier League title race, despite their reputation for strong late-season results that have earned them six titles during his near-decade at the club.
The title contenders face a demanding run of fixtures, starting with Sunday’s trip to Chelsea, followed by a home clash against Arsenal on April 19.
“Hopefully we can score a lot of points,” Guardiola told reporters when asked about his team’s usual late-season surge.
“In the situation we are in in the Premier League, we need to win them all, otherwise it won’t give us the opportunity to try until the end.
“We haven’t been consistent enough this season. We’ve lost points that we should have added, so now we’re in a position where we can’t do anything different.”
The ‘grumpy’ Guardiola wants Silva to stay at Manchester City for life
Bernardo Silva has won six Premier League and Champions League titles since joining City in 2017 from AS Monaco, but his contract expires at the end of the season and he may leave.
Guardiola said he did not know if the 31-year-old Portugal international would leave but made clear his desire to keep him at the club.
“I’m very grumpy with Bernardo because a month ago I told him: ‘If you make a decision, I have to be the first to make it.’ [know]'” the city boss said. “He didn’t tell me, so I don’t know what’s going on.”
And he added: “He is not the tallest, the most muscular, nor the guy who scores 50 goals or gives 50 assists a season,” Guardiola said. “These are the type of players that attract attention. But after nine years, I know him quite well and I know what a coach requires.
“All the coaches love him because he is incredibly competitive and has fire inside him. In the toughest moments and on the biggest stages, he is always there.
“He has been an incredible signing for us. I love this club and I would love for him to stay and finish his career here, but I don’t know. He will decide what he will decide. It is his decision.”
Fernández remains out despite apology, says Rosenior
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior says Enzo Fernandez remains ruled out for Sunday’s Premier League clash against City, despite apologizing for comments that cast doubt on his future at Stamford Bridge.
“He apologized to me, he apologized to the club,” Rosenior told reporters on Friday.
“He won’t play on Sunday, but I hope that afterward he will be an important part of the group in the future,” he said.
Rosenior denied that the club was harming itself by omitting Fernández against City.
“Football is a team sport, it’s not about individuals,” he said. “It’s not about shooting yourself in the foot.
“There are certain values and cultures that I believe in, that this club believes in, and that makes the team stronger if you do it well.”
Chelsea focuses on the Champions League
Rosenior said he was confident his team could win as they fight for a top-five finish, which would guarantee the Champions League next season.
“We are a very good team, we have gone through a difficult streak, although in that streak we were punished for mistakes,” he said.
“There were good moments. When I looked at the games we’ve had, we’ve caused problems for every team we’ve played against, but we haven’t had the results for that.”
Face to face
The first meeting between these two clubs was in 1907, when they drew 2-2 in the old First Division at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea and City have met 181 times. Chelsea won 71, City 68 and 42 drawn games.
Surprisingly, Chelsea have not beaten City since they met in the 2021 Champions League final, when now England manager Thomas Tuchel was managing the Blues.
Last 10 matches:
- January 4, 2026: Man City 1-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
- January 25, 2025: Man City 3-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
- August 18, 2024: Chelsea 0-2 Man City (Premier League)
- April 20, 2024: Man City 1-0 Chelsea (FA Cup semi-final)
- February 17, 2024: Man City 1-1 Chelsea (Premier League)
- November 12, 2023: Chelsea 4-4 Man City (Premier League)
- May 21, 2023: Man City 1-0 Chelsea (Premier League)
- January 8, 2023: Man City 4-0 Chelsea (FA Cup third round)
- January 5, 2023: Chelsea 0-1 Man City (Premier League)
- November 9, 2022: Man City 2-0 Chelsea (League Cup third round)
chelsea team news
Rosenior said centre-back Levi Colwill had returned to training after suffering a serious knee injury in August, and right-back Reece James has been running after a hamstring problem.
“Colwill is in full training, but still needs to overcome some hurdles in terms of selection,” he said.
Defender Trevoh Chalobah is still regaining fitness after an ankle injury and will miss out, while winger Jamie Gittens also remains out.
Expected starting eleven:
Sánchez (goalkeeper); Gusto, Fofana, Adarabioyo, Cucurella; Santos, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Esteváo; peter
Manchester City Team News
Rubén Dias is still recovering from a muscle problem so he is not ready for the trip to Stamford Bridge.
Fellow defender Josko Gvardiol is also unavailable, having been sidelined since January with a fractured tibia in his right leg, and is still nowhere near a return.
Expected starting eleven:
Donnarumma (goalkeeper); Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Silva, Rodri; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland
