Sunderland vs Manchester City prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2025-12-31 20:00.
[p]Sunderlandâs proud unbeaten home league record this season faces another stern test on New Yearâs Day as title-chasing Manchester City journey to Wearside.[/p]
[p]Match News and Current Form[/p]
[p]Sitting firmly in the midst of the European race, 2025 couldnât have gone much better for Sunderland in the Premier League. Theyâve been dealt perhaps the sternest test the Premier League has to offer at present as they bid to welcome in 2026 in style at home, where they’re unbeaten in nine Premier League matches this season (W5, D4). That run was extended with a 1-1 draw against Leeds on Sunday, and although the Black Cats havenât tasted defeat in their first league game in any of the last seven calendar years (W3, D4), just two wins from 11 games against sides who started this round 13th or higher (D6, L3) should quickly temper rising expectation levels. [/p]
[p]Pep Guardiolaâs side have now entered the stage of the season where they tend to excel, and in typical Manchester City fashion, have now won six league games in a row to heap pressure on Arsenal at the summit. With the Gunners playing fellow title-chasers Aston Villa in midweek, this is a huge opportunity for City, who secured a fourth away win in a row at the weekend with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Nottingham Forest. Winning their opening league game of the last 13 calendar years hints at a continuation of their travelling success here, and while theyâve been victorious in such matches in 18 of the last 19 calendar years overall (L1), the sole exception did come on this ground in 2012! [/p]
[p]Head-to-Head History[/p]
[p]City have won the last seven Premier League H2Hs, including a 3-0 victory in early December, but Sunderland have won more Premier League home games against City than they have against any other club in the traditional âbig sixâ (W5, D1, L7).[/p]
[p]Hot Stats and Streaks[/p]
[p]The away side on the day failed to score before half-time in seven of Sunderlandâs last eight league games.[/p]
[p]A pre-round league-high ten Sunderland games stood level at half-time this season (HT: W4, L4).[/p]
[p]City have lost just one of their last 30 Premier League away games against newly-promoted opposition (W23, D6).[/p]
[p]City have conceded nine of their 11 away league goals this season after half-time.[/p]
[p]Key Players to Watch and Missing Players[/p]
[p]Sunderlandâs Brian Brobbey has two game-closing home goals to his name this season, with his last nine goals at club level all arriving in home games. Tijjani Reijnders was on target for City at the weekend, with that his fifth club goal from six to come on the road. [/p]
[p]Alongside a host of Africa Cup of Nations absentees, Sunderland will also be without Dan Ballard. Cityâs injury list is headlined by JĂ©rĂ©my Doku.[/p]
[p]For all the latest team news, please check the Flashscore match centre.[/p]
[p]Betting Analysis[/p]
[p]Sunderlandâs home record is impressive, but having looked susceptible against Leeds, weâre backing a City win. [/p]
[p][i]Author: Chris Wilson[/i][/p]