Second-placed Man City host Sunderland as Pep Guardiola's men look to keep pace in the title race, while high-flying visitors aim to extend their strong start to the season.
Man City vs Sunderland Form and Head to Head
The Citizens suffered a setback in their last match, losing 4-5 away to Fulham. However, prior to that, Man City had been in excellent form, winning their previous match 3-2 at home against Leeds.
Sunderland drew their last match 1-1 away to Liverpool. The Black Cats have had a mixed bag of results, with a recent 3-2 victory at home against Bournemouth, but also a 1-0 away defeat to Fulham. According to pre-match facts, there have been over 2.5 goals scored in City's last 5 games in the Premier League, however they have conceded at least 2 goals in their last 3 Premier League matches.
The most recent encounter between these two sides saw Sunderland emerge as 2-0 victors away at the Stadium of Light back in March 2017.
Across the last six meetings, Man City have dominated, winning five of those matches and losing only once. The Citizens have been winning at both half time and full time in their last 5 matches against Sunderland in all competitions.
Who is the betting favourite in Man City vs Sunderland?
According to latest odds, Manchester City are the betting favourite against Sunderland with an implied win probability of roughly 74%. Meanwhile, Sunderland are the underdogs against the Sky Blues.
| Winner | Best Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Man City | 1/4 | bet365 |
| Sunderland | 13/1 | BetMGM |
| Draw | 11/2 | Betfred |
Odds last updated at 4PM Thursday, 4th December.
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Man City vs Sunderland Team News
Man City will be without Rodri and Kovacic due to injury.
Sunderland are missing Diarra and Alese, both sidelined with injuries. Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki are at risk of suspension, and manager Regis Le Bris will have to decide whether to risk them.
Man City vs Sunderland Predicted Lineups
Man City (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; O'Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Nunes; González, Reijnders; Doku, Foden, Silva; Haaland
Sunderland (5-4-1): Roefs; Mandava, Alderete, Ballard, Mukiele, Hume; Fée, Sadiki, Xhaka, Traoré; Brobbey
Lineups powered by WhoScored.
Man City vs Sunderland Match Prediction
Despite Sunderland's impressive position in the league and their ability to come back from losing positions, Man City's home form and attacking prowess make them strong favourites. The Citizens excel at finishing scoring chances, creating opportunities through individual skill and through balls, and controlling the game in the opposition's half.
While Sunderland are strong at defending set pieces and aerial duels, their weakness in defending against attacks down the wings could be exploited by City. With a predicted score of 3-1, City are expected to dominate possession and capitalize on wing play situations.
Prediction: Man City 3-1 Sunderland
Man City vs Sunderland Palace Player Stat Trends
Our EV Eagle has picked out five trending player stats for Man City vs Sunderland.
Find 100s more player stat trends in our Trends Tool, available to Oddschecker+ Premium subscribers.
Erling Haaland has recorded over 1.5 shots on target in 5 out of 7 games.
Reinildo Mandava has won 2+ fouls in 4 of his last 4 games.
Tijjani Reijnders has attempted over 1.5 shots in 6 out of 8 games.
Nico González has won 2+ fouls in 4 of his last 5 games.
Wilson Isidor has exceeded 0.5 Shots On Target in 4 of their last 6 games.
Bernardo Silva has managed To Be Shown A Card in 3 of their last 4 games.
Man City vs Sunderland Bet Builder Tip
Our bet builder tip for Man City vs Sunderland is Erling Haaland to score anytime, Granit Xhaka to commit over 1.5 fouls. Wilson Isidor to record over 0.5 shots on target and Jérémy Doku over 0.5 shots on target.
Best odds of 9/1 available on bet365 at the time of publishing.
Erling Haaland to score anytime
Erling Haaland remains Manchester City’s most reliable attacking threat, having scored in 7 of his last 10 matches and registering over 1.5 shots on target in 5 of his previous 7 outings. He thrives against promoted sides too, scoring 6 goals in 5 such fixtures last season, and although he failed to net against Leeds recently, he did score twice and assist once against Burnley earlier this campaign. Another goal looks well within reach.
Granit Xhaka to commit over 1.5 fouls.
Granit Xhaka has averaged 1 foul per game this season, but this fixture sets up perfectly for an increase. Man City’s midfield controls the tempo and forces opponents into reactive defending, particularly in central areas. With City likely to dominate the ball, Xhaka will be required to break up play more frequently and engage in physical duels, increasing his chances of committing fouls. The pace and technical quality of players like Foden and Doku will also test him defensively, making Over 1.5 fouls a strong angle.
Wilson Isidor to record over 0.5 shots on target
Wesley Isidor has been Sunderland’s main attacking outlet in recent weeks. He has produced 2 shots on target in his last two matches (vs Liverpool and Bournemouth) and is averaging close to 2 shots per game this season. Even against strong opposition, he finds ways to test goalkeepers.
Man City’s defence has looked shaky after they conceded four goals against Fulham recently and Isidor should get at least one clear opportunity. With Sunderland likely to rely on counter-attacks, a single shot on target from Isidor is a realistic expectation.
Jérémy Doku over 0.5 shots on target
Jeremy Doku’s form has been electric, consistently tormenting full-backs with his dribbling and acceleration. Although he hasn’t taken many shots in recent matches, he showed his threat by recording 3 shots on target against Liverpool, proving he can be clinical when he chooses to pull the trigger.
Playing at home, with City expected to dominate and push Sunderland deep, Doku will get isolated 1v1s and opportunities to cut inside or strike from tight angles. If he becomes even slightly more direct, he should comfortably land at least one shot on target.
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