Need to know
Match: City (3rd) v Sunderland (19th)
Competition: Barclays Premier League
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Date and time: Saturday 26 December, 3pm
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Last time: City 3-2 Sunderland, 1 January 2015
Head to head record
Matches: 141
City wins: 66
Draws: 25
Sunderland wins: 50
Form (Premier League)
City: DLWLWL
Sunderland: LWWLLL
Tickets: Available here
Key quotes
Manuel Pellegrini: “We have to try to focus game by game – the next is Sunderland, we try to beat them at home which is never an easy game.”
Fernandinho: “Anybody who believes playing Sunderland at home will be easy is mistaken. I remember two seasons ago when we were going for the title and they held us 2-2 and last year, on New Year’s Day, they made it really difficult again though we eventually won 3-2.”
Billy Jones (Sunderland defender): “We know we have to put in a great performance and have that little bit of luck, but chances will be few and far between so when we get them we have to be clinical and take them.”
Team News
Out (City): Nasri
Out (Sunderland): Kaboul, Cattermole, Larsson, Matthews, Rodwell (suspended)
