Pep Guardiola’s men meet the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light on Thursday with an 20:00 (UK) kick-off in the North East.
To prepare for the clash with the newly-promoted side – the surprise package of this season’s Premier League campaign – Guardiola put his players through their paces at the City Football Academy.
The Blues go into the encounter in a rich vein of form after eight wins on the spin including a 3-0 success over Regis Le Bris’s men at the Etihad.
But our opponents are unbeaten at home this season, winning five of their opening nine matches, including a derby triumph over Newcastle and draws against Arsenal and Aston Villa.
The players were in buoyant mood as they aim for a successful start to 2026 with much to play for in the days, weeks and months ahead.
Check out training photos below.
