Chelsea vs Manchester City predictions: Champions can come out on top
- Manchester City have won seven of their last nine meetings with Chelsea
- There were 10 goals in the teams' Premier League matches last season
- Recommended bet: Manchester City & both teams to score
Manchester City begin their quest for a fifth successive Premier League title against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in Sunday's 4.30pm kick-off.
The home team are beginning a new era with manager Enzo Maresca taking charge of his first Premier League game in the most eye-catching fixture on the first-week schedule.
Team news
Chelsea's Reece James is both injured and suspended but manager Enzo Maresca has few other injury problems to deal with. Pedro Neto and Marc Guiu are among the players who could make their debuts for the Blues.
City will be without Rodri and Oscar Bobb. Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones missed the Community Shield and will be assessed but Jack Grealish should return and Kevin De Bruyne is set to start in midfield.
The stats
Manchester City have won seven of their last nine competitive fixture against Chelsea.
Both Premier League matches between the teams last season finished as score draws.
Chelsea have lost three and drawn one of their last four home clashes with City.
Chelsea won their last five league games of last season, while City won their last nine.
City won 14 of their 19 league away games in 2023-24.
Prediction
Entertainment should be almost guaranteed when Chelsea play Manchester City. Their Premier League meeting at Stamford Bridge last season was an eight-goal thriller capped off by a late equaliser from Cole Palmer from the penalty spot against his former club.
That was the first time City had failed to beat Chelsea in seven matches, though, and while they also dropped points in a 1-1 draw at the Etihad, they got back to winning ways with a 1-0 success over the Blues in the FA Cup semi-finals.
There is even more recent evidence to consider as the teams also met in the United States in their pre-season tours, when City won 4-2. Another victory for the Manchester club with both teams getting on the scoresheet looks a solid betting option.
While Pep Guardiola has selection issues with Rodri not yet fit and youngster Oscar Bobb sidelined with a broken leg, he has plenty of high-quality alternatives.
His team were far from their free-flowing best in the Community Shield against Manchester United but still found a way to win having lost the previous three editions of the traditional curtain-raiser.
The City boss might have preferred a slightly less testing first league challenge of the season but there is no doubt Enzo Maresca would have wanted to be facing anyone but the champions in his first home match.
Chelsea's lavish spending means they are not short of talented performers themselves but City should be much more comfortable in their patterns of play and knowing what is expected of them than the home team.
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