Sunderland vs Manchester City Preview, Team News & Probable Starting XI

The Premier League’s New Year’s Day action kicks off with a fascinating clash as newly-promoted Sunderland vs Manchester City to the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats have impressed with their first half of the season back in the top flight, sitting comfortably in mid-table, while Pep Guardiola’s City are in the midst of an intense title race with Arsenal.

This fixture comes just weeks after the teams met at the Etihad Stadium on December 6, where City cruised to a 3-0 victory. Sunderland will be eager to exact revenge on home soil, but face a daunting task against a City side beginning to get key players back from injury.

Sunderland vs Manchester City – Date, Time, Predictions, and More

Pep Guardiola - All Records, Trophies, and Achievements

Match	Sunderland vs Manchester City
Competition	2025-26 Premier League (Matchday 19)
Date	Friday, 2 January 2026
Kick-off	8:00 PM GMT / 3:00 PM ET
Venue	Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England
Premier League form	Manchester City: W W W W W W Sunderland: W D L W D D

Sunderland (The Black Cats)

Manager: Régis Le Bris
League Position: 12th place with 26 points from 18 matches
Recent Form (Last 5): D–L–W–D–D (1 Win, 3 Draws, 1 Loss)

Sunderland’s return to the Premier League has been largely positive, though they’ve struggled for consistency in recent weeks. Their most recent outing was a 1-1 draw against Leeds United on December 28, where they were outplayed but held on for a point. Before that, they secured a valuable 2-0 victory over Everton at home.

The Black Cats have been solid defensively under Le Bris, though their attacking output has been modest. At the Stadium of Light, they’ve been particularly resilient, earning the majority of their points at home.

Key Players:

Ross Stewart: The striker has been Sunderland’s primary goal threat when fit.
Patrick Roberts: Provides width and set-piece quality from the wings.

Manchester City (The Sky Blues)

Manager: Pep Guardiola
League Position: 2nd place with 42 points from 18 matches (2 points behind Arsenal)
Recent Form (Last 5): W–W–D–W–W (4 Wins, 1 Draw, 0 Losses)

Defending champions City are hitting their stride at the perfect time, having won four of their last five league matches. Most recently, they secured a 2-1 victory at Nottingham Forest on December 27, with Rodri making his return from injury.

Guardiola’s side dominated Sunderland 3-0 in their previous meeting three weeks ago, and will be confident of repeating that performance. However, the congested festive fixture list means squad rotation is inevitable.

Key Players:

Erling Haaland: The Norwegian has 23 Premier League goals this season and will be hungry for more.
Kevin De Bruyne: The Belgian playmaker orchestrates City’s attacking play.
Rodri: His return from injury is a massive boost to City’s midfield control.

Team News & Injuries

Sunderland Injury/Suspension List

Aji Alese: OUT (Shoulder injury)
Dan Ballard: OUT (Ankle injury)

Le Bris has a relatively healthy squad, with only defensive injuries to contend with. The return of Ross Stewart from a minor knock would be a boost.

Manchester City Injury/Suspension List

Mateo Kovacic: OUT until late February/March (Ankle/heel surgery)
Oscar Bobb: DOUBTFUL (Hamstring)
Jeremy Doku: DOUBTFUL, possible return (Leg/muscular)
John Stones: DOUBTFUL, nearing return (Thigh/leg)
Rodri: AVAILABLE after returning vs Forest (Hamstring)

Positive News: Guardiola confirmed that Rodri is “much, much better” and played against Forest. Jeremy Doku and John Stones are close to returning and could be involved in the squad for this match.

Sunderland vs Manchester City Predicted Starting XIs

Sunderland

Sunderland possible starting lineup: Roefs; Hume, Mukiele, Alderete, Cirkin; Xhaka, Geertruida; Rigg, Le Fee, Adingra; Brobbey

Tactical Note: Le Bris will likely set up defensively, looking to frustrate City and hit on the counter through the pace of Jack Clarke.

Manchester City

Manchester City possible starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Silva, Gonzalez, Reijnders; Cherki, Foden; Haaland

Tactical Note: Guardiola may rotate with the FA Cup in mind, but will still field a strong XI. Expect City to dominate possession and press high.

Head-to-Head Sunderland vs Manchester City

Last Meeting (Dec 6, 2025): Manchester City 3-0 Sunderland
Goals from Haaland (2) and Foden gave City a comfortable win at the Etihad.
Historical Dominance: City have won their last 8 meetings across all competitions.
Sunderland’s Last Win: 2014 (League Cup)

Match Prediction

Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Manchester City

Despite Sunderland’s home advantage and improved Premier League form, Manchester City’s quality and momentum make them clear favorites. The return of Rodri strengthens City’s midfield control, and Haaland’s scoring form is relentless.

Sunderland will make it difficult and may frustrate City for periods, but the champions’ attacking firepower should prevail. Expect City to manage the game professionally and secure three vital points in the title race.