Chelsea and Manchester City cross swords in battle of the Blues.

Chelsea vs. Manchester City kicks off at 16:30 [GMT+1] on Sunday, April 12, at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea will make their way back for Premier League action following the 7-0 dismantling of Port Vale in the FA Cup. Meanwhile, they head into Sunday’s decisive meeting with Manchester City under plenty of pressure, having suffered back-to-back defeats [DLWLL]. While hoping to bounce back to winning ways, their head-to-head record with the Sky Blues is nothing to write home about. Chelsea are winless in their last nine league meetings with Manchester City (D3 L6), a run that underlines the gap that has developed between the two sides in recent years. Under Liam Rosenior, Chelsea initially showed promise, winning his first four league matches in charge. However, that momentum has faded significantly, with just one win in their last six. Their attacking play has struggled for consistency, despite creative sparks from Enzo Fernández, who leads the league in line-breaking passes. The Blues will be looking to do everything to avoid another loss here, as it would mark three consecutive league defeats, something they have not experienced since 2023. In addition, doing so without scoring would echo a drought not seen since 1998. A 4—2—3—1 formation with João Pedro in attack is expected against Manchester City.

Manchester City continue to demonstrate their resilience, even if recent results have included consecutive draws [WWWDD]. Interestingly, they scored first in their last two matches, against Forest and more recently West Ham, but failed to convert those leads into victories—something rarely seen under Pep Guardiola. However, City’s broader record, particularly in April, is exceptional. They have won 28 of their last 31 Premier League matches in this month, averaging an outstanding 2.50 points per game under Guardiola. Historically, City have also improved their record at Stamford Bridge, winning four of their last five away league games against Chelsea—matching their total from the previous 26 visits combined. This shift highlights their growing confidence in what was once a difficult venue. Individually, Bernardo Silva is on the verge of a milestone, set to become the most-capped Portuguese player in Premier League history. Meanwhile, Erling Haaland presents an interesting case. After a blistering start to the season, his scoring rate has dropped significantly, with just three goals in his last 12 appearances. Despite this dip, the Norwegian picked up a hattrick in City’s 4-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup. He is expected at the attacking end of a 4—2—3—1 formation when City make their visit to Stamford Bridge.