The Premier League action on Sunday, January 4, 2026, concludes with a massive clash at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City hosts Chelsea. This fixture has taken on a surreal atmosphere following the shock dismissal of Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca on New Year’s Day.
While City is looking to regain ground on league leaders Arsenal after a frustrating New Year's Day stalemate, Chelsea enters the match under the temporary guidance of interim boss Calum McFarlane, desperately seeking stability amidst a winter of chaos.
Match Details: Kick-off & Official Info
Competition: Premier League (Matchday 20)
Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026
Kick-off: 17:30 GMT / 12:30 ET / 20:30 EAT
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Referee: Michael Oliver (VAR: Darren England)
Broadcast: Sky Sports (UK), USA Network (US), SuperSport (Africa)
The Storyline: Blue Chaos vs. The City Machine
Manchester City: Bouncing Back from Sunderland
Pep Guardiola’s side enters this match in 2nd place (41 points), trailing Arsenal by four points. Their eight-match winning streak was snapped on Thursday in a bizarre 0–0 draw at Sunderland, where City dominated possession but failed to break down a stubborn "Black Cats" defense.
The major positive for City was the return of Rodri, who played the second half and looked sharp. At the Etihad, City has been a juggernaut this season, winning eight of their nine home matches. They will see a managerless Chelsea as the perfect opportunity to re-establish their scoring rhythm.
Chelsea: Life After Maresca
Chelsea currently sits 5th (30 points), but the mood at Stamford Bridge is anything but celebratory. Following a disappointing December run and reported tensions with the hierarchy, Enzo Maresca was relieved of his duties. Calum McFarlane (U21 coach) has had just 48 hours to prepare the team for the most difficult away trip in world football.
The Blues showed flashes of brilliance in their 2–2 draw with Bournemouth last week, but their defensive "anarchy" ultimately cost them. With the locker room in flux, Chelsea will rely on the individual magic of Cole Palmer and Alejandro Garnacho to keep them competitive.
Team News & AFCON Absentees
Manchester City Team News
Injury Concerns: Savinho (ankle) and Nico Gonzalez (muscular) are major doubts after limping off against Sunderland.
Out: Mateo Kovacic, John Stones, and Oscar Bobb remain sidelined.
AFCON Duty: Rayan Aït-Nouri (Algeria) and Omar Marmoush (Egypt) are unavailable.
The Return: Rodri is expected to make his first start since November, providing much-needed defensive security in midfield.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Aké, Gvardiol; Rodri, Reijnders, Foden; Cherki, Haaland, Doku.
Chelsea Team News
Major Suspension: Moises Caicedo is OUT after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Bournemouth.
Injury Ward: Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill, and Dario Essugo remain out.
Late Fitness Test: Marc Cucurella has returned to training but may not be risked from the start; Jorrel Hato stands ready.
Tactical Gamble: Interim coach McFarlane may move Reece James into a midfield pivot alongside Enzo Fernández to cover for the suspended Caicedo.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Chalobah, Hato; Fernández, James; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Joao Pedro.
Head-to-Head (H2H) & Key Stats
The Streak: Manchester City is unbeaten in their last 8 Premier League matches against Chelsea (W6, D2).
Last Meeting: City won the reverse fixture 3–1 at Stamford Bridge in January 2025.
Chelsea's Etihad Curse: Chelsea has won only one of their last 10 visits to the Etihad (a 2–1 win in May 2021).
Goal Machine: Erling Haaland has scored in each of his last three appearances against Chelsea.
Discipline: Chelsea has the highest average of yellow cards per game (2.4) in the league this season.
Tactical Analysis: Control vs. Counter
The tactical battle will likely be one-sided in terms of territory. Guardiola’s City will aim to suffocate Chelsea with high ball possession (averaging 64% at home) and use Jeremy Doku’s 1v1 ability to stretch a Chelsea defense that has looked disorganized. The return of Rodri is vital; he will act as the "safety valve" to stop Chelsea's pacey transitions.
For Chelsea, the game plan under McFarlane will likely be "safety first." Without Caicedo, they lose their best ball-winner. They will look to sit in a compact mid-block and use Cole Palmer’s vision to launch Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto on the break. If Chelsea can survive the first 20 minutes without conceding, the "new manager bounce" could make them a dangerous, unpredictable opponent.
Match Prediction
Despite Chelsea's immense talent, the combination of a manager's departure and the absence of Moises Caicedo makes this a mountainous task. Manchester City is rarely quiet for two games in a row, and with Haaland hungry to respond to the Sunderland blank, a home win is the most logical outcome.
Final Score Prediction: Manchester City 3–1 Chelsea
