Manchester City v Chelsea
Premier League 2025/26
Fixture Date – Saturday 3 January 2026
Kick-off – 3pm
Etihad Stadium, Manchester

⚔️ Overall Head‑to‑Head & Win Records

• In Premier League clashes, records diverge across different sources:

  • StatMuse reports City have won 20, drawn 9, and lost 27** to Chelsea in the PL to date

  • Meanwhile, MyKhel gives Chelsea 27 wins, City 16 wins, and 7 draws in 50 games—differences likely due to varying cut‑off dates

• Considering all competitions (league, cups, European fixtures, etc.), one aggregated source gives City 26 wins, Chelsea 16, and 6 draws from 48 meetings (City scoring 74 goals, Chelsea 56)

• Chelsea and Manchester City are closely matched across eras, but City have held the edge in recent years, especially since 2021.

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🏆 Key Historical Matches

• 1986 Full Members’ Cup Final at Wembley: Chelsea won a dramatic 5–4 win; City scored three late goals but couldn’t complete the comeback

• 2019 EFL Cup Final: After a 0–0 draw, Manchester City beat Chelsea on penalties (4–3) to retain the title, featuring a dramatic refusal by Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to be substituted

• 2021 UEFA Champions League Final: Chelsea defeated City 1–0 in Porto with Kai Havertz’s goal, denying City its first European Cup and securing Chelsea a second Champions League trophy

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🔥 Recent Form & Trends

• Since the 2021 Champions League final, City have either beaten or drawn with Chelsea in every meeting:

  • Eight wins and two draws in ten fixtures since mid‑2021 across Premier League and domestic cups

  • Notably, on 18 August 2024 at Stamford Bridge, City won 2–0 against Chelsea—extending their unbeaten run in this fixture to 10 matches, all since the 2021 CL final

• That match also marked the first-ever £1 billion‑valued match based on transfer fees of matchday squads from both clubs combined (~£999.7m), with Chelsea’s squad valued higher due to recent big signings

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📊 Summary Table

🧠 Rivalry Significance

• Chelsea had the upper hand in the early Premier League years, but City’s emergence (circa early 2010s under Roberto Mancini and particularly Guardiola) shifted the balance.

• Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League triumph remains a high point, but City’s sustained dominance since then underscores their current superiority.

• The fixture is now one of the Premier League’s marquee matchups, often featuring champions or near‑champions and showcasing top-tier tactical battles.

 

🗓 Match Details

• Fixture: Manchester City vs Chelsea

• Date: Saturday, 3 January 2026

• Kick-off: 3:00 pm (UK)

• Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester

⚔️ Head‑to‑Head Summary

• Across all competitions, in their previous 48 meetings, Manchester City have won 26, Chelsea have won 16, and six have ended in draws. Goal tally stands at 74‑56 in City’s favour

• Recent high-level stats also show an overall edge: City 29 wins, Chelsea 27, and 8 draws in 64 meetings since 1995, with average goals around ~1.4 for City, ~1.3 for Chelsea per game.

• In the last five clashes:

  • Man City 3–1 Chelsea on 25 January 2025 (Etihad)

  • Chelsea 0–2 Manchester City on 18 August 2024 (Stamford Bridge)

  • Man City 1–0 Chelsea FA Cup semi-final on 20 April 2024

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🔙 Context & Recent Form

Manchester City

• Now managed by Pep Guardiola, but the 2025/26 season marks their first since 2014–15 without Kevin De Bruyne, whose contract expired in summer 2025.

• They also began this season not as defending champions for the first time since 2020–21.

Chelsea

• Under Enzo Maresca, appointed on 1 July 2024, Chelsea finished 4th in the 2024/25 Premier League, clinching Champions League qualification

• Maaresca’s debut season included winning both the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup, making Chelsea the first club to win all major UEFA club competitions

• Forward Cole Palmer starred throughout 2024/25—a record-breaking season in goals and assists for Chelsea; he also set a club-long unbeaten penalty run and scored four in a half in one Premier League match

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📈 Pre‑Match Landscape

• This fixture falls in Round 20 of the Premier League, just after the winter break. It’s part of a packed festive schedule following the shift of Boxing Day fixtures to 27 December—Eleven teams played on 3 January, including this match

• Both teams come in with strong midseason momentum: City likely seeking to consolidate league position, Chelsea aiming to keep pace in the top four.

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📊 Quick Preview Table

Aspect	Manchester City	Chelsea
Recent H2H form	Strong—won 3 of last 5	Struggling in recent direct matchups
Managerial approach	Guardiola’s possession-based control	Maresca’s attacking focus, streamlined play
Key absences	No Kevin De Bruyne this season	Squad boosting with Palmer & João Pedro
Motivation	Bounce back after winter break	Maintain top-4 push & European form

🧠 What to Watch

• Key players: Erling Haaland’s scoring impact (City), and Cole Palmer’s creativity for Chelsea.

• Tactical battle: Will City control midfield and possession? Can Chelsea break through on counter or set-pieces?

• Historical edge: City hold the recent advantage, having beaten Chelsea in January 2025 and August 2024

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