Overview
- Kick-off is 20:00 (UK) on Thursday 1 January at the Stadium of Light, with live coverage on Sky Sports Main Event.
- City arrive on an eight-match winning run in all competitions and trail Arsenal by five points with a game in hand.
- Newly promoted Sunderland sit seventh and have not lost at home, conceding only 18 league goals with Robin Roefs posting a standout save rate.
- Pep Guardiola has Rodri back in the squad after his bench return at Nottingham Forest, while Mateo Kovacic, Jeremy Doku and Oscar Bobb remain unavailable, and Sunderland are missing multiple starters to AFCON duty including Reinildo, Arthur Masuaku, Chemsdine Talbi, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki and Bertrand Traoré.
- Previews indicate few changes for City with Erling Haaland expected to start, following a 3-0 City win in the reverse fixture earlier in December.