Champions Manchester City begin their Premier League campaign in 2024/25 with a visit to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.
The London club have not enjoyed much success against City in recent meetings, although they did hold City to two draws in last season’s league meetings, which included an extraordinary 4-4 game at the Bridge in November 2023.
This has been another summer of upheaval for Chelsea, who appointed Enzo Maresca as manager after dismissing Mauricio Pochettino after the end of last season. The former Leicester City boss has been handed quite the challenge for this first league game in charge as he prepares to challenge Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions, who have won six of the past seven top-flight titles in England.
The Sporting News is following the Chelsea vs. Man City match live, providing live updates and commentary
Chelsea vs. Man City score
| 1st Half | Goalscorers | |
| Chelsea | 0 | |
| Man City | 1 | Haaland 18′ |
Confirmed lineups:
Chelsea (4-3-3, right to left): 1. Robert Sanchez (GK) — 27. Malo Gusto, 29. Wesley Fofana, 6. Levi Colwill, 3. Marc Cucurella — 45. Romeo Lavia, 25. Moises Caicedo, 8. Enzo Fernandez — 20. Cole Palmer, 15. Nicolas Jackson, 18. Christopher Nkunku
Man City (4-1-4-1, right to left): 31. Ederson (GK) — 82. Lewis, 25. Manuel Akanji, 3. Ruben Dias, 24. Josko Gvardiol — 8. Kovacic — 26. Savinho, 20. Bernardo Silva, 17. Kevin De Bruyne, 11. Jeremy Doku — 9. Erilng Haaland.
MORE: Latest Premier League Golden Boot standings | How long will Oscar Bobb be out?
Chelsea vs. Man City live updates, highlights, and commentary
40 mins: Savinho is down here and looks to be in trouble. He’s clearly in a bit of pain. That would be a real shame for City, as he’s had a good game here.
37 mins: Good save, Sanchez! Malo Gusto is caught in possession by Doku, who fires in a dipping shot that the Chelsea keeper tips over the bar. De Bruyne’s corner comes to nothing.
36 mins: Pep Guardiola is having a bit of a rant at the fourth official after a Chelsea attack went on for about 30 seconds after an offside infringement. We all know what the guidance is for assistants these days due to VAR, but that felt a little too long. City still lead comfortably.
32 mins: Fernandez (and the crowd) want a penalty after Savinho runs through the back of him, but the Chelsea man’s control was so poor that the ball was already well beyond his reach. “Referee’s call” very much the right one there.
26 mins: Nkunku does well to put Manuel Akanji under pressure, but he gets a bit too heavy-handed and concedes the free-kick. It was at least a sign of Chelsea trying to scrap their way back into this.
22 mins: DE BRUYNE! The City star tries to pick out the right-hand corner of the net from 20 yards out, but his angles are wrong. Chelsea are getting overrun at the moment, which is not a good look for a three-man central midfield.
18 mins: GOAL! HAALAND GIVES CITY THE LEAD! Doku , this time from the left, cuts infield and passes to Bernardo Silva. His touch to Haaland is perfect, and Haaland is just too strong for Colwill and Marc Cucurella, muscling them out of the way before finishing past the rather static Robert Fernandez. A VAR check for offside shows Silva was not behind the last man.
Watch in USA:
HE’S BACK.
ERLING HAALAND OPENS THE SCORING AT STAMFORD BRIDGE.#CHEMCI | 📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/pQZv4JbuNz
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) August 18, 2024
Canada:
Erling Haaland SCORES!!
⚽ 0-1 Chelsea FC vs Manchester City
WATCH EVERY GOAL 👉 https://t.co/2w98QqADfX#PL #PremierLeague pic.twitter.com/ArShxoaHYB
— FuboCanada 🇨🇦 (@fuboTVCanada) August 18, 2024
UK:
New season, same Haaland 🤷♂️
Man City take the lead at the Bridge! 💥 pic.twitter.com/3JuafuhioS
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 18, 2024
15 mins: Chelsea have looked somewhat threatening on the break, but they haven’t made the most of the forays forward they’ve had. Nicolas Jackson this time is guilty of losing the ball too easily to Ruben Dias. At the other end, City can’t seem to get a cross anywhere near Erling Haaland, even through Kevin De Bruyne.
11 mins: Doku! That’s a waste. He collects Lewis’ pass and has space to shoot just inside the box, but it’s badly sliced with his left foot. His end product has been poor so far.
8 mins: Savinho makes a good run infield and finds Bernardo Silva, who wins a corner off Romeo Lavia. Fernandez wins a free-kick as the delivery is taken. City’s wingers — Jeremy Doku is on the other side — have started brightly here.
3 mins: Fernandez seems to be playing as a 10 from the start here. He’s pushing right up towards the City centre-backs when out of possession.
Kickoff: First half
Here we go!
5 mins before kickoff: The players enter the pitch to some impressive pyrotechnics. This should be a fascinating watch.
14 mins before kickoff: With some of City’s key players absent or still short of fitness, there will be plenty of pressure on Erling Haaland to perform today. He’s making his 100th appearance for the club at the Bridge. He’s averaged close to a goal a game in that run, which is frankly madness.
Since joining the club in July 2022, no player across all competitions in the top FIVE European leagues has scored more goals than Erling Haaland (90). #BBCFootball #CHEMCI #PL pic.twitter.com/A97sUXPAid
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 18, 2024
30 mins before kickoff: Another facet of the Chelsea team that has caused confusion is Maresca’s decision to make Fernandez captain today, in the absence of club skipper Reece James. Fernandez was at the heart of a racism storm as Argentina celebrated winning the Copa America, and it upset some of his Chelsea teammates. You can read about that here.
With that in mind, plenty of fans have been asking how Fernandez could then be given the armband.
Enzo Maresca confirms to Sky that Enzo Fernandez is one of his captains. Enzo captains Chelsea against Manchester City today with Reece James suspended.🇦🇷
🗣️ “He’s one of the captains. He’s not the only captain, but he’s captain today. I can see his team-mates, they like him as… pic.twitter.com/hgSjswMWmN
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) August 18, 2024
50 mins before kickoff: There’s an interesting development around the Chelsea team news: Raheem Sterling, who is not in today’s squad, is reportedly demanding answers from Maresca over his role for the coming season.
According to the Daily Mail, Sterling’s camp had expected the winger to start today. He conducted an interview with Chelsea’s in-house media this week ahead of the game with his former club, and he played in all six of their preseason games.
His representatives said in a statement to the Mail that they “look forward to gaining clarity on the situation” but that the player “is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard”. Maresca said it was “a technical decision”.
Team news
Maresca’s first Chelsea lineup in the Premier League sees Levi Colwill partner Wesley Fofana at the centre of the defence. Romeo Lavia joins Moises Caicedo and captain Enzo Fernandez in midfield, with Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku alongside Cole Palmer in attack. New signings Pedro Neto and Marc Guiu are on the bench.
Your first Chelsea XI for 24/25. 💙#CFC | #CHEMCI pic.twitter.com/4ap2nzIa9W
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 18, 2024
With Rodri still missing, Mateo Kovacic anchors the Man City midfield. There’s a Premier League debut for Brazilian winger Savinho, with Pep Guardiola also handing Rico Lewis a starting spot at right-back.
Your first City XI of the 24/25 #PL season! 🩵
XI | Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Doku, Savinho, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Walker, Stones, Ake, Grealish, Nunes, Foden, O’Reilly, McAtee#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/xPrBjDQzN2
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 18, 2024
1 hour 20 mins before kickoff: Enzo Maresca today takes charge of his first Premier League game as Chelsea boss. It just so happens to be against the team where he spent a year as Pep Guardiola’s assistant in the treble-winning season of 2022/23.
MD1 prep. 🧠 pic.twitter.com/b0IR9R3W1c
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 16, 2024
1 hour 40 mins before kickoff: The meeting at Stamford Bridge last season ended in a remarkable 4-4 draw. However, despite taking a point off City twice last term, Chelsea’s recent record against the champions hasn’t been great.
2 hours before kickoff: The champions are back. What do Chelsea have to stop them this time?
Opening day memories in the @premierleague! 💫 pic.twitter.com/kAGGFfMbAE
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 17, 2024
Chelsea vs. Man City kick off time
The Chelsea vs. Man City match kicks off in at 4:30 p.m. local time at Stamford Bridge in London, England.
Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Sun, Aug. 18 | 11:30 a.m. ET |
| Canada | Sun, Aug. 18 | 11:30 a.m. ET |
| UK | Sun, Aug. 18 | 4:30 p.m. BST |
| Australia | Mon, Aug. 19 | 1:30 a.m. AEDT |
| India | Sun, Aug. 18 | 9:00 p.m. IST |
Chelsea vs. Man City lineups, team news
Levi Colwill partners Wesley Fofana at the centre of defence for Maresca’s first league game in charge, while a combative midfield sees Romeo Lavia join Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
Pedro Neto, who joined from Wolves for £54 million, will have to make his debut from the bench. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, a former standout under Maresca at Leicester, is also among the substitutes.
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.
Chelsea confirmed XI (4-3-3, right to left): Sanchez (GK) — Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella — Lavia, Caicedo, Fernandez — Palmer, Jackson, Nkunku.
Chelsea subs: Jorgensen, Badiashile, Tosin, Veiga, Dewsbury-Hall, Madueke, Mudryk, Neto, Guiu
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. All except Rodri hae returned to the matchday squad, but only on the bench. That means Mateo Kovacic starts in midfield, and Rico Lewis remains at right-back.
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, starts alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. Savinho replaces Bobb on the right wing for his Premier League debut.
Man City confirmed XI (4-1-4-1, right to left): Ederson (GK) — Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol — Kovacic — Savinho, Bernardo, De Bruyne, Doku — Haaland.
Man City subs: Ortega, Walker, Stones, Ake, Grealish, Nunes, Foden, O’Reilly, McAtee
Chelsea vs. Man City live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch this Premier League match across selected areas of the world’s major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | NBC | Fubo, Universo NOW, Telemundo Deportes En Vivo, NBC app/site, Peacock |
| Canada | — | Fubo |
| UK | Sky Sports | Sky Go |
| Australia | — | Optus Sport |
| India | Star Sports Select 1 | JioTV, Hotstar VIP |
