Chelsea face a challenging start to the New Year, as they travel to Manchester to face Pep Guardiola'sManchester City.
The Blues had an interesting beginning to 2026, as they made the decision to part ways with head coach Enzo Maresca following a reported falling-out behind the scenes.
Under-21s head coach Calum McFarlane has taken up interim coaching duty in the meantime, but the situation is far from ideal, and the choice of opponent - a team the Blues have not beaten in nearly five years - makes things all the more brutal.
City were held to a goalless draw in their previous league fixture, which put an end to a six game winning streak - and they could begin Sunday's fixture seven points behind league leaders Arsenal, so a return to winning ways is crucial to keep them in the title fight.
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola stressed the importance of managing his players fitness during a busy and hectic holiday period, and could look to manage the minutes of his players very carefully.
Nico Gonzalez and Savinho were both taken off against Sunderland and join an injury list which includes the likes of Mateo Kovacic, Oscar Bobb and John Stones.
It means Rodri will likely begin the game in the centre of midfield, his first full start since returning from injury.
Nico O'Reilly was also taken off early at Tyneside, but should be available for selection on Sunday. If not, there may be another start for defender Nathan Ake, who could be targeting a January exit after falling down the pecking order at City.
Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush are absent due to their ongoing duties at the Africa Cup of Nations, with Algeria and Egypt respectively.
Chelsea
When quizzed on the fitness status of the Chelsea team, Calum McFarlane was not as informative - unsurprising given his frantic change in responsibility over the last 48 hours.
The biggest absence for the Blues will be Moises Caicedo, who will serve a suspension after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.
Marc Cucurella was pictured in team training, but will be a last minute call by the interim coaching staff.
Midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Jorrel Hato also trained on Friday afternoon, but are unlikely to feature and will remain sidelined with Romeo Lavia and Levi Colwill - who continues to recover from a ACL injury.
It is unlikely that McFarlane will tinker too heavily with Enzo Maresca's style of play, so we should expect to see a similar lineup and tactical system come Sunday.
Predicted Lineups
Manchester City: Donnarumma; Neves, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Silva, Rodri, Reijnders, Cherki, Foden, Haaland
Chelsea: Sanchez; Acheampong, Fofana, Chalobah, Gusto, James, Enzo, Neto, Palmer, Garnacho, Pedro
Players to Watch
Manchester City - Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland has not gone longer than two league games without scoring - and he is unlikely to make it three in a row when he faces a shaken and unstable Chelsea side.
The Norwegian has enjoyed this fixture as of late - scoring in both games last season - whilst the Cityzens have not lost to the Blues since their Champions League final defeat in 2021.
Haaland can score his twentieth goal of the season on Sunday in as many games, putting him well into the lead for the Golden Boot; he nearly doubles the tally of Brentford's Igor Thiago in second place.
Chelsea - Reece James
The situation around the Chelsea camp at the moment cannot be an overly positive one, but Reece James could prove to be the man to uplift his teammates.
McFarlane praised the Chelsea captain's attitude in the build-up to the match - calling him 'a real leader in the group' - and he will most likely fill in the vacancy in midfield left by the suspended Caicedo.
Offensively, he can be a real threat - scoring with a wonderful free-kick to spark a second half comeback against Newcastle, and setting up Joao Pedro for his goal against Aston Villa with a fabulous whipped delivery.
Match Details
Where is the match taking place?
Chelsea will make the trip to the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, which boasts a total capacity of 53,400.
What time is kick-off?
The game is the last of the weekend, with both teams kicking off at 17:30pm GMT on Sunday evening.
Where can I watch?
Fans in the UK can watch the game on Sky Sports Main Event.