Chelsea are still reeling from the shock departure of Enzo Maresca as their manager on New Year’s Day. The Blues must try and focus on the task at hand, but that is easier said than done.Manchester City fell further behind Arsenal in the midweek round of games, so this is a must-win encounter for Pep Guardiola’s team. Will they do what they need to do?Manchester City to win – 3/5 with Sky BetOver 1.5 goals in the first half – 6/5 with Paddy PowerJeremy Doku to register an assist – 21/10 with BetVictorManchester City vs Chelsea oddsFind the latest Manchester City vs Chelsea betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.Manchester City vs Chelsea predictionsChelsea began the 2025/26 season in an optimistic mood. Triumphs in the Conference League and Club World Cup, together with a top-four finish in the Premier League, represented a promising debut campaign for Enzo Maresca.The Italian’s style of football was not always to the liking of the Stamford Bridge faithful, but by the time Chelsea were lifting the Club World Cup trophy in July, Maresca had won most of the club’s supporters over.Now he is gone. Rumours of discord were bubbling away before Christmas, yet the speed of Maresca’s departure this week was still a surprise.No one knew it at the time, but Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Bournemouth turned out to be Maresca’s final game in charge. Within 24 hours of the final whistle, he was said to be on the brink, before his exit was confirmed on January 1. Happy New Year, Enzo.According to reports, Maresca jumped before he was pushed. As well as poor recent results, there were strained relations between the manager and the medical team, and the Chelsea hierarchy were unimpressed by Maresca’s apparent interest in the Manchester City job, which could become available in the summer.The Italian will doubtless have his own side of the story, but his sudden departure has left Chelsea in a tricky position.“With key objectives still to play for across four competitions, including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track,” a statement read.Liam Rosenior of Strasbourg is the strong favourite to succeed Maresca, but he is unlikely to be in the away dugout at the Etihad Stadium. All of which means this is a good time for Manchester City to face Chelsea. By the time this match gets underway, Pep Guardiola’s men could be seven points adrift of Arsenal in top spot.A 0-0 draw with Sunderland on Thursday meant City ended the gameweek four points shy of the summit of the standings, and Arsenal will have the chance to extend their advantage further against Bournemouth on Sunday.City had been putting pressure on Arsenal for much of December, but now the fixture scheduling means the boot is on the other foot. Having dropped points in midweek, City can ill afford another slip-up on Sunday.Manchester City vs Chelsea betting tipsManchester City host Chelsea in the final match of the Premier League weekend.Man City to triumphManchester City did not have everything their own way against Sunderland last time out, but they still created enough chances to have won the game.It was certainly not a bad display from Guardiola’s side, who were not quite able to do enough to make it seven wins on the spin.City are a force to be reckoned with on home turf, though. They have won all but one of their league games at the Etihad Stadium in 2025/26.With Chelsea managing just one victory in their last seven top-flight matches, all the evidence points to a City triumph. Go for a Manchester City win at 3/5 with Sky Bet Eventful opening period?With Chelsea’s preparations for this fixture having been heavily disrupted, Manchester City will go for the throat from minute one.Guardiola’s men have the best first-half record in the league, and they will aim to get out of the blocks quickly here.Chelsea have struggled in recent first halves away from home. They were dismal in the opening 45 minutes against both Leeds United and Newcastle United last month.City can take advantage of their opponents’ tendency to start slowly. This bet has paid out in three of Chelsea’s last four matches, and there is a good chance it will do so again. Choose over 1.5 goals in the first half at 6/5 with Paddy Power Doku a real threatJeremy Doku made his return from injury at the Stadium of Light, entering the fray in place of Savinho early in the second half.The Belgium international went on to deliver an electric performance on the left flank, from where he caused Sunderland numerous problems.Doku is one of the best one-versus-one attackers in the Premier League and it is incredibly hard to stop him when he is in full flow.A creative spark for City, the exhilarating 23-year-old will no doubt be heavily involved in his team’s attacks. Do not be surprised if he lays on a goal for a teammate. Tip Jeremy Doku to register an assist at 21/10 with BetVictor Manchester City vs Chelsea predicted lineupsManchester City expected lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Rodri, Silva; Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland.Chelsea expected lineup: Sanchez; James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Neto, Palmer, Garnacho; Pedro. Where to watch Manchester City vs ChelseaLocation: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England.Date and time: Sunday 4th January, 5.30pm.How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.More Premier League predictionsWe have plenty more Premier League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.This week's matchesReal Madrid vs Real Betis predictions and betting tipsFulham vs Liverpool predictions and betting tips plus 17/2 bet builderUse Midnite promo code to net £30 in free bets ahead of Newcastle vs Crystal PalaceUseUse bet365 bonus code as Tottenham search for rare home winGrab a 100% matched bet with Betway as Liverpool aim to continue recent revival at FulhamEspanyol vs Barcelona predictions and betting tips About the authorGreg LeaGreg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootballCommercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. 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