Manchester City

Shamoon Hafez
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Pep Guardiola loves April and this showing demonstrated exactly why - his side have now won 29 of their past 32 matches in this particular month and last lost five years ago.

While City were not at their best in the opening 45 minutes, the second-half display will turn up the heat on a faltering Arsenal side who are under increasing pressure and know their rivals come on strong during the latter part of the campaign.

"Are you watching Arsenal?" was the chant from City's travelling supporters, who have seen their side claw back deficits in the past to lift the trophy in May - and now look ominously poised to do so this time around.

They possess the magical Rayan Cherki in their ranks, who can fashion a chance out of nothing, and the 22-year-old created the first two goals to take his tally to 10 assists for the season, the second-most behind Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes.

City had drawn their previous two league matches after taking the lead but there was no repeat on this occasion, punishing hapless Chelsea for a fifth win at Stamford Bridge in their past six league visits.

While City now have a week off, Arsenal play the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Sporting on Wednesday, before turning attentions to next Sunday's massive match at Etihad Stadium.

The result in that contest could have a significant bearing on the destiny of this season's title.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola speaking to BBC Match of the Day after his side's win at Chelsea: "First half was not bad, especially on the right side we had no movement and don't attack space. Second half we made a fantastic three goals."

On Nico O'Reilly: "The Carabao Cup final, two goals, today, he is always there. He has incredible physicality, stays with Estevao and other top wingers."

On next weekend's game against Arsenal: "It's important because we are six points behind them, if they beat us it's over, if we draw also.

"Now we prepare, relax, don't listen much. Before the Carabao Cup final we were underdogs. We have to be calm, prepare, because Arsenal is an extraordinary team. We have that game, but it's game-by-game.

"We have long weeks to recover. Its a pity we could not be better in Champions League. The Premier League is about how you grow the team. The team feel fresh, everyone is there. We have six games left and FA Cup semi-final. It doesn't look much, but it is a lot. Many things are going to happen."

Manchester City defender Marc Guehi, speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the win: "I was a tough game. There are no easy games in the Premier League. First half, we did well in spells. You could see how good Chelsea were in their shape and they were making things difficult for us.

"But a lot of players stepped up in the second half and really grateful for the win."

On Nico O'Reilly: "It's amazing seeing his development and how fantastic he's been doing for the team and himself. But it's been a fantastic team performance today. Nico did well but Rayan [Cherki] and Erling [Haaland] worked their socks off too - every single player did well today."

On his goal: "Fortunately, I am playing with a lot of top players. So you never know when the ball is going to come, so you have to be ready always. I think I did OK with the finish."

On scoring against his former club Chelsea: "I wouldn't be here without this football club. I am eternally grateful to every single member of the staff who helped me in the academy and the club for picking me up at such a young age, to Frank Lampard and Jody Morris for giving me my debut when I was here. It's nice to be back."

On facing Arsenal: "It's going to be a big game. But the most important thing for us is to recover and focus on training this week."

Did you know?

• Manchester City completed 344 passes in the first half of this match, the most by a visiting team at Stamford Bridge in the opening 45 minutes of a Premier League game on record (since 2003-04).

• With two more today, Manchester City's Rayan Cherki became the first player to register 10+ assists in their debut Premier League season since Dimitri Payet in 2015-16 (12).

• Manchester City's Marc Guéhi is the first player to play twice away to Chelsea in the same Premier League season and keep a clean sheet in both games, also playing in Crystal Palace's 0-0 draw on matchday one.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Chelsea's performance

What did you make of Man City's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Image source, BBC Sport

Chelsea have made two changes from the 7-0 FA Cup win over Port Vale last weekend.

Moises Caicedo returns having been rested against lower league opposition but Romeo Lavia drops out instead of Andrey Santos.

Estevao Willian continues to keep his starting berth as Cucurella returns having also been rested.

Chelsea XI: Sanchez, Gusto, Fofana, Hato, Cucurella, Santos, Caicedo, Estevao, Palmer, Neto, Joao Pedro

Subs: Sharman-Lowe, Acheampong, Tosin, Sarr, Essugo, Lavia, Garnacho, Guiu, Delap

Manchester City make just one change from the 4-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup.

They bring back Gianluigi Donarumma for James Trafford in goal.

However, Pep Guardiola keeps the same outfield players, including an exciting front four of Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, Jeremie Doku and Erling Haaland.

• Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O'Reilly, Rodri, Bernardo, Semenyo, Cherki, Doku, Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Ake, Ait-Nouri, Kovacic, Reijnders, Nico, Savinho, Foden, Marmoush

Image source, BBC Sport

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City have just 61 points from 30 games heading into an important game against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.

No side in the last 22 seasons have had so few points with eight games left and gone on to win the Premier League title.

The last Premier League champion to have as few points with eight games left to play was Manchester United on 61 points in 2002-03.

The fewest points Manchester City have ever had after 30 games and still won the top-flight title was 67 points, under both Manuel Pellegrini in 2013-14 and Pep Guardiola in 2023-24.

The average points tally of an eventual champion after 30 games played, in a 38-game season, is 69 points.

Therefore, the Citizens are currently eight points off the pace and history suggests they will have to win at Stamford Bridge.

The fewest points a team has had after 31 games played of a 38-game season and gone on to win the title is 63 points - done by Manchester United in 1996-97 and Arsenal in 1997-98.

If Manchester City fail to win this weekend, they will be sat on 61 or 62 points and they will have to make Premier League history to win the league this season.

Even if they win against Chelsea, they have still got a tough task ahead of them because no team has won the title having had as few as 64 points with seven games left in the past 22 seasons.

The average points tally of an eventual champion after 31 games played, in a 38-game season, is 72 points.

Therefore, Guardiola's side would still be eight points off pace even with a win.

There are four games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Crystal Palace v Newcastle United - Listen on Sports Extra 2

• Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa - Listen on Sports Extra

• Sunderland v Tottenham - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Chelsea v Manchester City (16:30 BST) - Listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Sunderland v Tottenham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Chelsea v Manchester City".

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

I don't agree with Liam Rosenior's treatment of Enzo Fernandez. All players have dreams of playing for big clubs and, while Chelsea are a big club, if a player says he wants to play for Real Madrid then you don't leave them out of the side.

I always think about these things from a player's point of view and, whether it was the manager's call to drop him or not, Rosenior isn't going to endear himself to Fernandez by doing that.

On top of that, Fernandez is not just a good player, he is one of Chelsea's best.

He scored the last-gasp equaliser when they drew at Manchester City in January, and now Rosenior is leaving him out of a massive game which could improve or lessen his team's hopes of making it into the Champions League.

It just seems like a really bad decision all-round.

This is a huge game for City too. Everyone seems to be getting carried away with them because of their past two results - against Arsenal at Wembley and Liverpool in the FA Cup - but their form before those games was much less impressive.

I really want the Premier League title race to go the distance this season, so I'm still going to back City to win this.

But, if I end up losing the predictions title race, it will be because of this game. I wouldn't be surprised if City drop points here.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Holly Bacon
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 16:30 BST).

Hear Pep Guardiola's conference in full here on BBC Sounds or above

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Guardiola confirmed Ruben Dias is "getting better" but will not be ready for Sunday. He said Mateo Kovacic is now "fine", John Stones may do some "partial training today" and Josko Gvardiol is "getting better too but still he is not close".

• The City boss says with seven Premier League matches left they "have to win every single game". On their situation, he added: "We need to do all of them otherwise it will not give us a chance to do it until the end. We were not consistent enough during the season, we dropped points that we should have taken and that's why we are in the position now where we cannot do it differently."

• Guardiola was asked whether he feels more excited at this time of the season: "No, I have a lot of yellow cards, that [shows] how excited I am. Not just for April but during the season I have had a good energy and still have a good energy."

• On Bernardo Silva and whether or not he will leave the club this summer Guardiola said: "I do not know, I am so grumpy with Bernardo because a month ago I said I had to be the first, to tell me and he didn't say anything to me yet. I do not know if he has already decided because I said jokingly 'tell me, I deserve it', but he didn't tell me so I do not know what is going on."

• Guardiola praised Silva's intelligence and said making him his captain is the "best decision" he's made this season. The City boss added: "He has been an incredible signing for us. I love this club amazingly and I would love if he could stay and finish his career here but I do not know. He will decide what he will decide. It is his decision but he has been an incredible signing - the numbers, minutes, and titles. Especially in bad moments, I define the players in the bad moments when everything is difficult, how they make the step up and say 'I'm here' to help."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary of Chelsea v Manchester City from 16:30 BST on Sunday

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Emily Brobyn
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It has been a good few weeks to be a Manchester City fan.

The 2-0 Carabao Cup final triumph over title rivals Arsenal was followed by securing another trip to Wembley by humiliating Liverpool 4-0 in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

It finally feels like something may have clicked for Pep Guardiola and this evolving side.

The Blues are back in Premier League action this weekend and it's a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, who are chasing a place in the Champions League next season but also struggling for consistency.

By the time City play on Sunday afternoon, they could be 12 points behind Arsenal, as the Gunners face Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday.

At this point, given the nine-point gap Mikel Arteta's side have already established, there seems to be a reluctant acceptance that it may just be too big a lead to chase down with only eight games left for City to play.

If that's the case, there could be an advantage to that - it takes the pressure off.

City can play with freedom and keep riding the wave of momentum they have built from winning recent silverware. It could play in their favour, just in case Arsenal do fluff their lines in the league.

There's more silverware on the line though. The Blues are just two games away from completing a domestic trophy double and, after last season's disappointment, achieving that would be much-welcomed from the City faithful.

But there could also be a positive to be had if Pep Guardiola does miss out on the Premier League trophy this season to his former assistant – it could tempt him to stay and see out the final year of his contract.

Whispers have been swirling that he will decide his future at the end of the season. Win the title race and surely he would take his final bow. Miss out and, with a squad refreshed and finding its feet, brimming with young and exciting talent, surely the Catalan would want one more roll of the Premier League and Champions League dice?

Either way, there are reasons for positivity when it comes to the business end of the season for City.

It's a funny old game - who knows what might play out between now and May.

Emily Brobyn is regularly on BBC Radio Manchester - find all their Man City audio here

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio Manchester's Gaz Drinkwater and Emily Brobyn spoke to creators of The Citizens Trust, Nick Clarke, Loukas Gregory and Nic Unsworth.

This has become the first independently led Manchester City supporters trust representing the interests of City fans.

Issues the group will aim to confront include ticket prices, ticket sharing policy, fan engagement and fan experience.

"It is long overdue," explained Nic Unsworth.

"The vast majority of supporters' clubs in this country are founded in times of crisis. We're not quite in a crisis of such, however most fans, especially match-going fans, who have been aware of what's been going on around the club in the last couple of years can tell the direction of travel.

"At City there have been things in recent years that fans have not felt they have been represented in a democratic, unified, inclusive way.

"We have never had a trust like this, we are one of the few in the Football League who have not had one, and the only one in the so-called 'big six' without one. This is long overdue and, as fans have shown with the membership numbers in the last 48 hours, it's been wanted."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

Manchester City and Liverpool have joined Arsenal in the race to sign 19-year-old Bayer Leverkusen and Cameroon forward Christian Kofane. (Teamtalk, external)

Nottingham Forest are yet to receive any formal bids for England midfielder Elliot Anderson, 23, but the club are braced for offers before the 2026 World Cup, with City and Manchester United both interested. (Talksport, external)

Meanwhile Aston Villa are expected to be among the clubs hoping to sign City goalkeeper James Trafford this summer. (Football Insider, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

The Premier League's return this weekend brings trepidation for some and excitement for others.

Football's emotional rollercoaster becomes intense at this time of year, unless of course mid-table mediocrity has taken a grip of things in recent months.

So how are you feeling as a Manchester City fan with just a handful of weeks left to go?

The league form reads: WWWWDD

The next three league fixtures are: Chelsea (a), Arsenal (h), Burnley (a)

Let us know how you're feeling here

Everton are not expected to trigger the £50m purchase option for winger Jack Grealish contained in the loan deal with Manchester City, but the club are confident a new agreement can be reached for the 30-year-old to stay on Merseyside. (Athletic - subscription required, external)

Tottenham are pushing to sign City goalkeeper James Trafford this summer, with the 23-year-old a key target as the club prepares for a busy transfer window. (Teamtalk, external)

Meanwhile Nottingham Forest expect England midfielder Elliot Anderson to join either Manchester City or Manchester United if he leaves this summer, however, the club want a fee of £100m-£120m for the 23-year-old. (Florian Plettenberg, external)

Manchester City have joined the race with several Bundesliga and Premier League clubs to sign Hertha Berlin's 16-year-old German midfielder Kennet Eichhorn. (Fabrizio Romano, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport