Gianluigi Donnarumma returns in goal for Manchester City at Chelsea, in the only change by Pep Guardiola from last weekend’s FA Cup win over Liverpool.
Guardiola has stuck with the same outfield line-up that thrashed Liverpool.
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Donnarumma returns after City No2 James Trafford’s cup exploits against both Arsenal and Liverpool
City are again be without Ruben Dias. The centre-back missed both the Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal and last weekend’s FA Cup demolition of Liverpool, having previously made seven appearances since returning from a hamstring injury suffered in January.
Dias played only 45 minutes of the Champions League last-16 second-leg defeat by Real Madrid with another hamstring issue and did not feature at Wembley, where Marc Guehi’s ineligibility and the continued absence of John Stones led to Abdukodir Khusanov and Nathan Ake lining up in central defence.
Khusanov and the returning Guehi paired together against Liverpool, with City assistant boss Pepijn Lijnders subsequently revealing that Dias had sustained another knock in training on the eve of the game and been sent for a scan.
Dias will not be ready to face Chelsea when City look to close to without six points of Arsenal after their defeat against Bournemouth yesterday.
Josko Gvardiol is still some way off returning from a broken leg suffered against the Blues in January.
“Dias is getting better,” Pep Guardiola said on Friday. “He’s not ready for Sunday.
“Today maybe Stones will do partial training, we’ll see. Gvardiol is getting better but still he isn’t close. Mateo Kovacic is fine.”
Confirmed Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guéhi, O’Reilly, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Semenyo, Cherki, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Trafford, Reijnders, Ake, Marmoush, Kovacic, Nico, Ait-Nouri, Savinho, Foden
Injured: Gvardiol, Dias, Stones
Time and date: 4.30pm BST on Sunday April 12, 2026
Venue: Stamford Bridge, London
How to watch: Sky Sports
