Date: Sunday 12th
April 2026
Venue: Stamford Bridge
Kick-off: 16:30 BST
This
afternoon, Stamford Bridge welcomes Manchester City for a Premier League clash with
a lot riding on it.
Chelsea stroll into
today’s game feeling quite chuffed after a 7-0 FA Cup demolition of Port Vale.
Sure, Port Vale are rock bottom of League One, but seven goals is seven goals I
suppose. City, meanwhile, have reminded Liverpool what it feels like to be
battered, winning 4-0 in a display that says, “We’ve remembered how to play
football again”, and sadly, it’s just in time to face us.
Premier League form?
Best left in the lost property box, frankly. Newcastle and Everton have both
handed us our coats recently. City aren’t exactly flying either, with two draws
on the bounce—though April is like City’s birthday month; they always turn up
with cake and party hats. We haven’t beaten City since the Champions League
final in 2020/21, so statistically, we’d be due a win—but none of us believe in
fairy tales, do we? Arsenal’s result yesterday has only helped City, and with
two games in hand and Arsenal looming, that 9-point gap might shrink. We continue
to live in hope.
We’re still dreaming of
a Champions League spot ourselves—even if our actual Champions League
credentials are about as convincing as a dodgy kebab after midnight.
Liverpool’s result yesterday means that even if we win, the top five remains
the stuff of fantasy football for now though.
As
for the outcome today, the world, his wife, and her cat are all hoping for a
City win, but the thought of Arsenal winning the title will do that to you!
MANAGER’S VIEWS
Going
into today’s game, Liam Rosenior says, “”It would be three points which
takes us closer to our objective, which right now is to qualify for the
Champions League. That’s all we can focus on. We have to play teams who are
fighting relegation, teams who are mid-table, teams who are pushing at the top
end of the league. It doesn’t matter because every game is so difficult in this
league and we know it’s going to be a big challenge on Sunday, but it’s one
that we’re looking forward to.”
Manchester
City manager, Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, says “If you don’t win at Stamford
Bridge – that’s not an easy place to go – maybe we don’t need to make the press
conference before Arsenal because it’ll be over. Everybody knows it. You know
it, I know it, the players know it, everybody knows it. England knows it. So,
there’s how many games left? You have to win all of them, all. Not one draw,
no. Forget about it.”
SQUAD NEWS
For Chelsea, Levi Colwill (ACL),
Trevoh Chalobah (ankle), Jamie Gittens (thigh), Reece James (thigh),
and Filip Jorgensen (groin) are all injured, whilst Mykhaylo Mudryk continues with
the never ending suspension. Benoit Badiashile could return from an illness but
Enzo Fernandez remains on the naughty step.
For Manchester City, Josko Gvardiol (leg)
and Ruben Dias (hamstring/knock) are both still out. John Stones pulled out of
the England squad with an injury but I wouldn’t buy into any of the
international injuries anymore and would expect him to be available.
TEAMS
CHELSEA
(Possible line-up): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Tosin,
Cucurella; Santos, Caicedo; Neto, Palmer, Estevao; Pedro
MANCHESTER CITY (Possible line-up): Donnarumma;
Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Silva, Rodri; Semenyo, Cherki, Doku; Haaland
LAST SEASON
Chelsea 0-2 Manchester
City (18th August 2024)
CURRENT FORM (PL)
CHELSEA: DDLWLL
MANCHESTER CITY: WWWWDD
OTHER STUFF
- Chelsea
are without a win in their last nine Premier League games against Manchester
City
- Manchester
City have won four of their last five away games against Chelsea in the Premier
League
- Chelsea have lost both of their last two
Premier League games
- Manchester City have drawn both of their
last two Premier League games
- Manchester City have won 28 of their last
31 Premier League games in the month of April
PREDICTION
Sportsmole: Chelsea 1-3 Manchester City
