Chelsea vs Man City Premier League predictions and stats: Guardiola faces another apprentice
Manchester City start their latest Premier League title defence with a trip to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the opening weekend of the 2024/25 campaign.
City, who pulled off the four-peat in May, have been reigning Premier League champions for three years now. But is a win against this chaotic Chelsea team less likely than it seems?
Three predictions for Chelsea vs Man City
Chelsea 2-4 Man City (25/1 with Betano)
Manchester City have won each of their last nine Premier League matches by two or more goals, the longest such run in the competition’s history and have won their opening Premier League match in 12 of the last 13 seasons. They also boast an impressive recent record against the Blues, winning four and drawing two of the last six head-to-head meetings between the two sides.
Cole Palmer First Goalscorer (7/1 with Betano)
What a season the 2023/24 campaign turned out to be for Cole Palmer. The former Manchester City player shone in his debut season for Chelsea, scoring 22 goals and providing 11 assists. It meant he was directly involved in more goals than any other Premier League player (33). He also came back to haunt his former side, scoring a 95th-minute equaliser from the spot in the 4-4 draw at Stamford Bridge.
The 22-year-old also scored more home goals than any other player in the Premier League last term, with his 16 goals the joint-most a player has netted at Stamford Bridge in a single Premier League campaign alongside Didier Drogba in 2006/07 and Frank Lampard in 2009/10.
Man City 17+ shots (7/5 with Betano)
When these two sides met last season, both matches finished as a draw. However, it was Chelsea that had to do the most defending, fighting off wave after wave of Man City attacks, with the Citizens having a whopping 46 shots across the two matches. Pep Guardiola’s men also averaged more shots per game (17.2) than any other Premier League side away from home in 2023/24.
Betano sign-up: Get £30 in bonuses when you bet £10
Betano are offering new customers the chance to get £30 in free bets to use on football.
To claim this offer, follow these steps:
- Create your account by clicking this link or the image below.
- Opt in to this promotion via the Offers tab or sign up page.
- Deposit and bet £10 or more at odds of evens (2.0) or higher within the first three days of registration.
- Get 5x £5 free bets and a £5 slot bonus on bet settlement.
18+ New Customers Only. Opt in and bet £10 on any EPL match (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of sign up. No cash-out. Get 5x£5 Free Bets for set markets (odds 1/1+) and a £5 Slots Bonus on Age of the Gods: God of Storms, 30x wagering, max redeemable £125. Bonuses expire in 14 days. No cash-out. Scroll down for T&Cs. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly.
How to watch Chelsea vs Man City live
Manchester City’s 2024/25 Premier League opener will be broadcast live at 4:30pm (UK time) on Sunday 18th August on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.
How both teams go into Chelsea vs Man City
Last year Man City secured an unprecedented Premier League triumph. Never before in men’s football has a team won four consecutive top-flight titles in England (a record that even transcends the start of the Premier League).
So the question now is whether Man City can turn four into five. For now, they have avoided a departure from Pep Guardiola, but there have been small hints that this could be his final campaign as Man City boss.
For the fourth season in a row, Man City start their Premier League title defence away from home. It’s something they will have grown used to, having not opened a Premier League campaign at the Etihad since 2016/17.
As defending champions, Man City have lost away to Tottenham while beating West Ham and Burnley within the last three campaigns.
For Chelsea, this is the start of another new era. Shortly after securing a return to European football, Mauricio Pochettino parted ways with the club, a decision officially announced as having come about by mutual consent. Although Chelsea did secure a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League, there was a lot for the Blues to be unhappy about, which they will try to remedy this season.
At the helm now is Enzo Maresca, who led Leicester City back to the Premier League at the first time of asking. That was Maresca’s first full season as a manager, having taken charge of Parma for a few months in 2021. Between those two roles, Maresca was Guardiola’s assistant at Man City, having previously been in charge of the club’s U23 team in 2020/21.
The game also sees two of England’s best forward players go head-to-head in Cole Palmer, who faces his former side, and Phil Foden. The two were directly involved in a combined 60 Premier League goals last season and will be hoping to make the difference for their sides.
Chelsea host Man City on Sunday 18th August at 4:30pm (UK time) at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea team news
Chelsea have already added a host of new names to their squad including Kieran Dewsbury-Hall, who followed Maresca from Leicester, Pedro Neto from Wolves and goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen.
Maresca is expected to set the Blues up in the same 4-2-3-1 set-up he has been using in pre-season with Romeo Lavia and Enzo Fernandez the two trusted players at the base of midfield.
Thiago Silva has left, so there will be a different centre-back partnership with Colwill, Badiashile, Disasi, Tosin and Fofana all hoping to be first choice under their new manager. Reece James won’t be involved though, as he is suspended for the first three games of the new season after his red card at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
Raheem Sterling will be hoping to get the nod on the left-hand side against his former team.
Man City team news
The defending champions have been quiet in the transfer window, with only three players leaving so far and only winger Savinho coming in. The new man will be eased in by Pep Guardiola. Oscar Bobb was expected to keep his place in the side after his POTM display in the Community Shield where he provided the assist for City’s late equaliser, but suffered a cruel injury blow in training with reports that he has fractured his leg.
Kyle Walker, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Rodri all missed the trip to Wembley, but will all return to the squad for the Premier League opener.
Chelsea vs Man City head-to-head
Although Chelsea did manage two draws against Man City last season, ending a run of six straight defeats without scoring, the Blues remain winless in their past nine games in this fixture. The last time Chelsea beat Man City came in the 2021 Champions League final.
| Chelsea vs Man City H2H | |||||||
| Date | Score | Ground | |||||
| 20/04/24 | Man City 1-0 Chelsea | Wembley Stadium, London | |||||
| 17/02/24 | Man City 1-1 Chelsea | Etihad Stadium, Manchester | |||||
| 12/11/23 | Chelsea 4-4 Man City | Stamford Bridge, London | |||||
| 21/05/23 | Man City 1-0 Chelsea | Etihad Stadium, Manchester | |||||
| 08/01/23 | Man City 4-0 Chelsea | Etihad Stadium, Manchester | |||||
| 05/01/23 | Chelsea 0-1 Man City | Stamford Bridge, London | |||||
