Manchester City host Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday in the reverse fixture of their 2024-25 Premier League season opener.
Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic were on the scoresheet that day as Pep Guardiola's side secured a 2-0 win, but few would have guessed how their respective seasons would play out from there.
Both teams are chasing invaluable points to keep them in contention for Champions League football next year. Enzo Maresca's side beat Wolves 3-1 on Monday to move into fourth in the table, two points ahead of City in fifth.
City, would have been expecting to be in a title race, having claimed four consecutive Premier Leagues under Guardiola, but a huge dip in form at the end of 2024 -- where they won just once in 13 games across all competitions -- means they find themselves 12 points behind Liverpool at the top of the league having played a game more.
Ahead of Sunday's big game, here's everything you need to know.
Key details:
Date: Saturday, Jan. 25 at 17:30 p.m. GMT (12:30 p.m. ET).
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: John Brooks
VAR: Stuart Attwell
How to watch:
The match is available to watch on Sky Sports in the UK and Peacock in the United States. You can also follow live updates on ESPN.
Team news:
Manchester City
John Stones, D, foot, DOUBT, estimated return Jan. 22
Nathan Aké, D, undisclosed, OUT, estimated return Jan. 25
Oscar Bobb, F, leg, OUT, estimated return Jan. 25
Rodri, M, Knee, OUT, estimated return July. 1
Kyle Walker, D, personal leave, OUT, estimated return Feb. 2
Chelsea
Levi Colwill, D, undisclosed, DOUBT, estimated return Jan. 25
Enzo Fernández, M, undisclosed, DOUBT, estimated return Jan. 25
Romeo Lavia, M, undisclosed, DOUBT, estimated return Jan. 25
Mykhailo Mudryk, F, SUSPENSION, estimated return Feb. 25
Benoît Badiashile, D, undisclosed, OUT, estimated return Feb. 22
Wesley Fofana, D, hamstring, OUT, estimated return Feb. 22
Expected lineup:
Manchester City
GK Éderson
LB Josko Gvardiol | CB Manuel Akanji | CB Rúben Dias | RB Matheus Nunes
DM Mateo Kovacic | DM Ilkay Gündogan
LW Jérémy Doku | AM Kevin De Bruyne | RW Phil Foden
ST Erling Haaland
Chelsea
GK Robert Sánchez
LB Marc Cucurella | CB Trevoh Chalobah | CB Levi Colwill | RB Malo Gusto
DM Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall | DM Moisés Caicedo
LW Jadon Sancho | AM Cole Palmer | RW Noni Madueke
ST Nicolas Jackson
Stats:
Man City are 11 points worse off than they were at this stage last season, the third biggest drop in points behind Wolves (13) and Tottenham (19).
City have failed to win from a winning position in nine games in all competitions this season, the most of any Premier League side.
Only Liverpool's Mohamed Salah (59) has more goal involvements than Chelsea's Cole Palmer (53) since the start of last season.
Chelsea lead the head-to-head standings between the two sides in the Premier League with 27 wins. City have beaten Chelsea 19 times, with 9 draws between the two.
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