Manchester City will commence their bid for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Premier League title with a stern test against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Man City will try to repeat what they did last season and retain their title as the defending champion of the English top-flight. They’ve already established their presence after winning the Community Shield curtain raiser by beating arch-rivals Manchester United on penalties following a 1-1 draw in regulation time at Wembley Stadium. 

Free spenders Chelsea, meanwhile, finished sixth last season and squeezed their way into third-tier UEFA competition, courtesy of a late resurgence. That didn’t prove enough to save manager Mauricio Pochettino’s job, with former Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca becoming the club’s fourth permanent managerial appointment since the takeover of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May 2022. 

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The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times, and the latest lineup news.

Chelsea vs. Man City live stream, TV channel in UK

Here’s how to watch this Premier League match in the UK:

• TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, Sky Ultra HD
• Live stream: Sky Go, NOW

This game is available for live TV broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football, and Sky Sports Ultra HD in the UK. 

Sky Sports subscribers can live stream the game via the Sky Go app on various devices including most smartphones and tablets as part of their subscription. You can also access the match via NOW with a day membership (£14.99) or monthly membership (£34.99).

What time does Chelsea vs. Man City kick off in UK?

This Premier League clash takes place at Stamford Bridge in London, UK, and kicks off on Sunday, August 18 at 4:30 p.m. local time (BST).

Chelsea vs. Man City lineups, predicted starting 11, team news

Pedro Neto, who joined from Wolves for £54 million, is set to make his Chelsea debut in this contest, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, a former standout under boss Maresca at Leicester, is also set for his first competitive outing.

Reece James is sidelined with a four-match suspension carried over from last season and a hamstring injury that could keep him out until September. Conor Gallagher, who captained in James’ absence last year, is training with the Under-21s amid a potential move to Atletico Madrid.

Nicolas Jackson returned from ankle issues in pre-season against Inter Milan, and Axel Disasi was back on the bench with Wesley Fofana making his first appearance in over a year.

Chelsea predicted XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Sanchez (GK) — Gusto, Badiashile, Colwill, Cucurella — Fernandez, Caicedo — Neto, Palmer, Mudryk — Jackson.

Injured: —

Suspended: Reece James

Phil Foden, John Stones, Kyle Walker, and Rodri missed last weekend’s Community Shield victory due to an extended break following their participation in the Euro 2024 final. They returned to training this week, leaving Mateo Kovacic likely to start in midfield against Chelsea, and Rico Lewis could remain at right-back if Walker isn’t ready. 

City will be without Oscar Bobb, who fractured his fibula in training and is expected to be sidelined for up to four months. Bernardo Silva, who scored in the Community Shield, is expected to start, with Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland also set to feature. Savinho may replace Bobb on the right wing.

Man City predicted XI (4-1-4-1, right to left): Ederson (GK) — Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol — Kovacic — Savinho, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Doku — Haaland.

Injured: Oscar Bobb, Rodri, Jack Grealish (doubt)

Suspended: N/A

Chelsea vs. Man City prediction

We could be in for a thrilling, back-and-forth game on Sunday as both teams look to launch their new season with a decisive win.

Although defending champions Manchester City face a significant setback with vital midfield cog Rodri sidelined, they are still a powerful team likely to find plenty of opportunities in attack against a Chelsea side that has shown vulnerabilities in defense during their choppy pre-season campaign.

Prediction: Chelsea 1-3 Manchester City

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