Manchester City vs. Chelsea Prediction: Blues Begin Life After Maresca

• Manchester City have lost ground on Arsenal in the Premier League title race

• Chelsea will be without Enzo Maresca after the manager’s departure on Thursday

• Who will triumph when two of England’s big six go head-to-head this weekend?

Manchester City vs. Chelsea Odds

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My -150 Pick for Manchester City vs. Chelsea 

Go for a Manchester City win. Chelsea are in a turbulent state once again and Pep Guardiola’s side can take full advantage.

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Manchester City Fall Behind Arsenal After Dropped Points

Ordinarily, a goalless draw with a promoted club would be a hugely disappointing result. Sunderland, however, are not any old promoted club. Seventh in the standings, they are unbeaten at home in 2025/26. Perhaps it was no surprise, then, that City dropped two points against them on New Year's Day.

There may have been no goals at the Stadium of Light, but it was still a very watchable match. City created the better chances overall, but it was hard to begrudge Sunderland their point. They defended with great organization and spirit, and City were ultimately unable to find a way past Robin Roefs between the sticks.

“We created a lot against that team in this stadium, especially in the second half, Guardiola said after the game. “The first half, we struggled simply because we struggled against their pressing but Rodri gave us the second pass to break the lines, and we could run.

“Second half was much better. They are so physical. They're so strong, so it's not a surprise. We take the point. There's a long way [to go until the end of the season]. The result is always what it is.”

That result, together with Arsenal's 4-1 victory over Aston Villa 48 hours earlier, means City now trail the Gunners by four points. With Arsenal in action before City this weekend, there is a chance the gap will grow larger by the time this match gets under way.

City cannot afford to let Arsenal get out of sight. They must be on the shoulder of Mikel Arteta's men, ready to pounce in the event of a slip-up. Arsenal's desperation to win a first title since 2004 could work against them - but only if City are there to apply pressure.

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Maresca Departs to Throw Chelsea Project Into Chaos Again

What Chelsea would give for a bit of stability. After a poor set of results in December, Enzo Maresca bade farewell to Stamford Bridge after 18 months at the helm on New Year's Day. The Blues are now looking for their sixth manager under the current ownership.

Maresca was not exactly beloved by Chelsea fans. His style of play was criticized at times last term, but triumphs in the Conference League and Club World Cup won many of the doubters over. In the fall of 2025, some held Chelsea up as potential title contenders, especially after a strong showing in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in late November.

Things unraveled quickly from there. Chelsea won only two of eight games in all competitions in the final month of the year, and one of those was against third-tier outfit Cardiff City in the EFL Cup. Yet despite that, they are fifth in the Premier League - hardly a disastrous placing at the midway point of the campaign.

Indeed, Maresca's departure has more to do with underlying tensions than recent results, although the latter clearly did not help. Reports suggest there were disagreements between the manager and his medical team, while Maresca's supposed interest in replacing Guardiola at City did not endear him to his superiors. That is Chelsea's angle at least; Maresca no doubt has his own account of what went on. 

Liam Rosenior is the strong favorite to succeed Maresca. The former defender manages Strasbourg, Chelsea's sister club, but some fans will be concerned by his lack of top-level experience. A deal will not be done before Sunday, so Under-21 boss Calum McFarlane will lead the senior side at the Etihad Stadium. Needless to say, this is a baptism of fire for the 40-year-old.

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Manchester City Should Have Too Much for Chelsea Here

Chelsea's preparations for this game have been hugely disrupted. Usually they would have an advantage in that regard having played their previous fixture two days earlier than Manchester City, but Maresca's exit will have disrupted Chelsea's planning. That is less than ideal given they are about to take on one of the best teams in England.

City may have been held by Sunderland on New Year's Day, but it was not a bad performance, especially in the second half. Before their trip to the Stadium of Light, City had won eight matches on the spin. They are still in excellent form and are deserved favorites on Sunday.

Chelsea have not been firing on all cylinders of late. They seem incapable of giving consistently good displays over a 90-minute period. Against Newcastle United they were poor in the first half and much improved in the second. Against Aston Villa it was the opposite.

There is a vulnerability to Chelsea at the moment and City are well equipped to take full advantage of that. There could be some pressure on Guardiola's side if Arsenal have beaten Bournemouth on Saturday, yet that is something they should deal with.

City should have too much quality for a Chelsea team in disarray. A home victory is on the cards when these two teams go head-to-head for the first time this season.

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How to Watch Manchester City vs. Chelsea

• Teams: Manchester City vs Chelsea

• Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England

• Date and Time: Sunday, January 4 at 12.30 PM ET

• How to Watch: Peacock Premium