Man City v Chelsea live: Premier League team news and line-ups after shock Enzo Maresca exit – UK Times

Interim Chelsea boss Calum McFarlane has made five changes to the side that drew to Bournemouth in midweek.

In goal, Robert Sanchez makes way for Filip Jorgensen, with the Spaniard not even on the bench for the Blues. In defence, Wesley Fofana comes out for Benoit Badiashile, with the Frenchman also not on the subs bench.

Reece James partners Enzo Fernandez in defence in the absence of the suspended Moises Caicedo, while Pedro Neto is preferred to Alejandro Garnacho on the wing and Liam Delap makes way for Pedro Neto up top.

Pep Guardiola has made just three changes to the side that drew to Sunderland last time out.

In defence, Josko Gvardiol returns in place of Nathan Ake, while key midfielder Rodri takes the place of the injured Nico Gonzalez in the middle of the park.

Savinho makes way for Tijjani Reijnders in the final change, with the Dutchman in midfield and Phil Foden moving into a more advanced role.

Chelsea XI: Jorgensen; Acheampong, Chalobah, Badiashile, Gusto; Fernandez, James; Estevao, Palmer, Neto; Joao Pedro.

Subs: Slonina, Merrick, Tosin, Hato, Santos, Garnacho, Gittens, Delap, Guiu.

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo (C), Reijnders, Foden, Cherki, Haaland.

Subs: Trafford; Ake, Doku, McAidoo, Khusanov, Mukasa, Lewis, R. Heskey, Mfuni.

The line-ups should be released in the next five minutes, so here’s a reminder of the early team news…

With Jeremy Doku and Rodri returning from injuries against Sunderland, City lost Savinho and Nico Gonzalez to injury.

The duo could join Oscar Bobb (hamstring), John Stones (thigh) and Mateo Kovacic (heel) on the sidelines, with Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait Nouri unavailable due to their involvement at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Marc Cucurella has returned to training, but faces a late fitness test. Moises Caicedo is banned as he serves a one-match suspension. That would mean Andrey Santos, Reece James or Malo Gusto partnering Enzo Fernandez. Dario Essugo, Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill and Jorrel Hato are all still out injured.

These two sides have met a total of 180 times in the past, with City winning 68, Chelsea winning 71 and 41 ending as draws.

Chelsea have lost nine out of the last 11 meetings between the two, including both of last season’s games – 2-0 at home in August 2024 and 3-1 away just over a year ago.

City are unbeaten in their last eight Premier League games against Chelsea (W6 D2), their joint-longest run without defeat against the Blues in their league history (also 8 between 1936 and 1949).

City have only failed to score in one of their last 22 Premier League games against Chelsea, losing 2-0 at Stamford Bridge in December 2018.

Having won four consecutive away league games against Man City between 2005 and 2008, Chelsea have now won just three of their last 16 visits to the Etihad (D2 L11).

Chelsea interim head coach Calum McFarlane described a “crazy 24 hours” after he was asked to step up from the under-21s to lead the first team away to Manchester City on Sunday.

The former Southampton youth coach was called into the club’s Cobham training centre at around lunchtime on Thursday shortly after the decision was taken to part company with Enzo Maresca, and told he would be in charge at the Etihad.

After a pass was hurriedly prepared to enable him to access the first-team building, he led training with the squad on Friday ahead of the journey to Manchester.

If Enzo Maresca’s last contribution as a Manchester City employee was to help them secure the treble in 2023, his most recent input to the discourse around the Etihad Stadium feels more unwelcome. The apparent indications that City’s former assistant manager had spoken to his old club about the possibility of replacing Pep Guardiola raised the issue of the Spaniard’s future.

Which has lingered in the background; as, indeed, it has for much of a reign that has extended for far longer than he originally envisaged. The Catalan shrugged off the idea that his old assistant had talked to City. “Why would I give you an update about an opinion that I don’t know is about this opinion?” he said. “It’s just a rumour.”

The Italian won two trophies during his time as head coach but his departure points to the enduring instability at Stamford Bridge, writes Richard Jolly