Sunderland vs Man City: Confirmed line-ups in Premier League

Sunderland will move fifth in the Premier League if the Black Cats start 2026 by winning at home to Manchester City on Thursday.

Regis Le Bris’ side are unbeaten in their first nine league games of the season, with Arsenal the only other side yet to taste defeat in the 2025/26 top flight.

Second-placed City are aiming to close the gap on leaders Arsenal to two points, having extended their winning run to eight matches in all competitions by beating Nottingham Forest 2-1 away on Sunday.

101GreatGoals.com has full team news from Sunderland vs Man City in the Premier League, and you can also follow live text updates from the match here.

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Sunderland starting lineup vs Manchester City

Sunderland defender Dan Ballard is injured, so left-back Dennis Cirkin starts again and Nordi Mukiele continues at centre-back.

Forward Eliezer Mayenda replaces Chris Rigg in their one change from their 1-1 draw at home to Leeds United on Sunday.

Luke O’Nien returns on the bench following a three-game ban for being sent off in the 3-0 defeat at Manchester City on December 6, and centre-back Aji Alese has a shoulder injury.

Reinildo Mandava is at the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 with Mozambique, as are midfielder Habib Diarra for Senegal, forward Bertrand Traore as Burkina Faso captain and winger Chemsdine Talbi, representing Morocco.

Defender or midfielder Noah Sadiki and left-back Arthur Masuaku are also at the tournament with DR Congo.

Sunderland starting XI: Robin Roefs, Trai Hume, Nordi Mukiele, Omar Alderete, Dennis Cirkin, Eliezer Mayenda, Granit Xhaka, Enzo Le Fee, Lutsharel Geertruida, Simon Adingra, Brian Brobbey

Sunderland substitutes: Anthony Patterson, Dan Neil, Chris Rigg, Luke O’Nien, Romaine Mundle, Wilson Isidor, Leo Hjelde, Harrison Jones, Tymur Tutierov

Man City starting lineup vs Sunderland

City replace Josko Gvardiol with Nathan Ake in defence and Tijjani Reijnders with Savinho in midfield.

Midfielder Mateo Kovacic remains out with an ankle injury. Midfielder Oscar Bobb (hamstring), winger Jeremy Doku (ankle) and centre-back John Stones are expected to return this month.

Algeria wideman Rayan Ait-Nouri and Egypt forward Omar Marmoush are at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Manchester City starting XI: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake, Nico O’Reilly, Bernardo Silva, Savinho, Nico Gonzalez, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland

Man City substitutes: James Trafford, Tijjani Reijnders, Jeremy Doku, Rodri, Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov, Divine Mukasa, Rico Lewis, Reigan Heskey

How to watch Man City vs Sunderland: Live online stream, TV channel

Kick-off on Thursday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). Live TV coverage in the UK is on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Ultra.

Via Now TV, Sky Sports costs £14.99 for a day membership, £28 a month for a 12-month membership or £34.99 a month with no contract.

Sky Sports memberships include access to all 12 live Sky Sports channels and Sky Sports+, which offers live streams and a dedicated channel.

Streaming is available on a vast variety of devices via the Sky GO app.

Sunderland vs Manchester City stats

• Sunderland haven’t lost their first league game in any of the last seven calendar years (W3 D4) since a 1-0 home defeat to Barnsley in 2018 in the Championship
• They have lost their last three Premier League home games against Man City, having won four in a row against them at the Stadium of Light beforehand
• Since drawing 2-2 in April 2014, Sunderland have lost their last seven Premier League matches against City
• City previously enjoyed a longer winning run against Sunderland between December 2002 and December 2009 (nine wins)
• Pep Guardiola’s side have lost one of their last 30 away Premier League matches against promoted clubs (W23 D6) since losing 3-2 to Norwich City in September 2019. They’re unbeaten in their last 17 since that defeat (W14 D3)
• Their current six-match winning run in Premier League matches is their longest in a single campaign since their final nine games en route to the 2023/24 league title
• Erling Haaland will play his first Premier League match at the Stadium of Light – the Norwegian has scored at 22 of the other 23 venues he’s played, failing only in three games at Liverpool
• Rayan Cherki has been directly involved in eight goals in his last nine Premier League appearances for Man City (1 goal, 7 assists), both scoring and assisting in a game for the first time against Forest last time out
• Only one of City’s last 19 opening league games of the calendar year has not resulted in victory, winning the last 13 in a row
• The exception was a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on New Year’s Day 2012
• They have scored in each of their last 32 Premier League matches in January since a 4-0 defeat to Everton in 2017, netting 28 goals in their last eight in the month (W7 D1)
• That’s the longest run of scoring in January games in top-flight history. Only Crewe Alexandra – between 1960 and 1972 – have had a longer run in the EFL, registering 36 in a row

Premier League fixtures and results today

Elsewhere on New Year’s Day, Liverpool are targeting a fourth straight win when Leeds United head to Anfield and Crystal Palace are seeking a first win in six matches in all competitions when Fulham, who have won their last three league games, visit Selhurst Park.

Brentford will then seek a third straight victory when they host Tottenham and under-pressure former Bees boss Thomas Frank.

Matches start at 17:30 GMT / 12:30 ET / 09:30 PT unless stated otherwise.

Thursday, January 1

Palace vs Fulham

Liverpool vs Leeds United

Brentford vs Spurs (20:00)

Sunderland vs Man City (20:00)