Title-chasing Manchester City meet Sunderland in a huge Premier League showdown at the Etihad Stadium.
If Arsenal fail to beat Aston Villa at lunchtime, victory would put Man City within one win of Mikel Arteta’s Gunners.
Sunderland meanwhile can go fourth with a win if Chelsea fail to beat Bournemouth.
Team News
Man City have no fresh injury concerns to report after their 5-4 win at Fulham.
Mateo Kovacic (foot) and Rodri (hamstring) remain sidelined.
Sunderland have no fresh injury concerns after their 1-1 draw at Liverpool, with Aji Alese (shoulder) and Habib Diarra (groin) still sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Man City face Sunderland at Etihad Stadium on Saturday 6 December at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Man City are unbeaten in their last seven league meetings against Sunderland (W6, D1).
- Sunderland are yet to win away at Man City in the Premier League (D2, L11), with their last win away to City having come in the second tier in January 1998.
- Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens have kept just two clean sheets in their last nine league meetings against Sunderland.
- Man City have kept just one clean sheet in their last six league games (W4, L2), which came in a 3-0 win at home to Liverpool before November’s international break.
- Sunderland have claimed four points in their last four away games (W1, D1, L2).
Prediction
For all of their attacking quality and positive results of late, Man City’s defence is their Achilles heel because they just can’t see to manage games defensively when in control of the scoreline, which is a worry when they’re coming up against a direct high-intensity team like Sunderland.
Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats though are yet to beat City away in the Premier League but they should of beaten Liverpool if not for wasteful finishing, so if they can produce similar then a tidier end product is imperative if want to upset the Cityzens.
I however do expect Sunderland to be doing a lot more defending this time but if they can get their counter-attack tactics right, I can see them nicking a point even though you have to be brave to bet against City here.
Prediction: Man City 2-1 Sunderland
Result: Man City 3-0 Sunderland