Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Liam Rosenior and Chelsea are under intense scrutiny.

There is a febrile atmosphere among supporters following defeats in three of their last four matches, just one win in six in the Premier League, and no clean sheets in their past four home games.

Supporters are again planning a protest, involving fans from partner club Strasbourg, ahead of next week’s home match against Manchester United.

Meanwhile, serious questions remain over the financial health of Chelsea’s project after the club announced record losses in their most recent accounts at the end of March, particularly if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

The victory over Port Vale gives Chelsea a huge injection of positive emotions at a crucial time, relieving pressure on Liam Rosenior and distracting from the mess off the field. It should bring a better mood to training this week and some smiles back to a group that felt at breaking point.

But all of that good energy will dissipate very quickly against Manchester City on Sunday if the Blues are not competitive. Things will return to the gloom of the past few weeks instantly if they do not at least put up a strong fight against Pep Guardiola's side.

Stamford Bridge will be in full voice backing their team - but if they put in a performance similar to those against Everton and Newcastle in recent games, that support will turn on them quickly.

There are reasons to be positive - Estevao is back, there is finally some depth in midfield and Cole Palmer is looking better physically. But there are also reasons to be very afraid - the defence looks even more ragged without Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah, and City could really tear them apart.

The mentality of this group has been questioned, even by their manager, who pointed out in his press conference last week that one of his priorities for the summer was to buy players who were "emotionally stable" and able to cope when things go wrong.

If they fold with the same ease on Sunday as they have in their recent defeats, the reasons for that priority will become even more obvious.

Their Champions League hopes may be reduced to almost nothing, but these players need to play for pride and for their future in this project before another busy summer.

Read more on the BBC Sport Chelsea page

Life under Liam Rosenior started well for Chelsea.

But things have started to turn a little sour - bizarre huddles, suspending your best player and perhaps a bit of naivety when it comes to the media have not helped Rosenior's cause.

After winning each of their first four Premier League games under the English manager, Chelsea have since won just one of their last six (D2 L3).

Since the start of this period (February 10, a 2-2 draw with Leeds), only Leeds (4) and Tottenham Hotspur (1) have fewer points in the competition than the Blues (5).

It has left them with work to do if they hope to play in the Champions League next season.

Image source, Getty Images

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter at Stamford Bridge

There was a curious incident before kick-off when the sprinklers soaked television crews along the touchline at Stamford Bridge.

Among those caught in the firing line were Sky Sports pundits Daniel Sturridge and Micah Richards, which can hardly have been ideal preparation for live coverage of a blockbuster match.

Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport Man City reporter at Stamford Bridge

Cole Palmer starts for Chelsea today with Tosin and Romeo Lavia both on the bench, while Mateo Kovacic is also a substitute for Manchester City - all four have represented both of these clubs.

Former striker Daniel Sturridge is on the touchline on punditry duty for Sky Sports, while ex-full-back Wayne Bridge is chatting with City TV.

No sign yet of Shaun Wright-Phillips - any others?

BBC Radio 5 Live

If you're out and about this late Sunday afternoon then why not follow events at Stamford Bridge on BBC Radio 5 Live?

Build up is under way with full commentary from kick-off at 16:30 BST.

Results are in for the 2pm matches:

• Sunderland 1-0 Tottenham
• Crystal Palace 2-1 Newcastle United
• Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa

You can follow reaction to those here. But then obviously come back to me in time for kick off at 16:30 BST.

Manchester City this season are not the same side as the one that totally dominated the league a few years ago.

Inconsistency and more than their fair share of dodgy results have plagued them this campaign.

And this isn't the first time that Arsenal have handed them an opportunity.

Mikel Arteta's side have slipped up with draws against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Wolves and Brentford as well as defeat by Manchester United and now Bournemouth.

But so far Pep Guardiola's side have not capitalised on such mistakes in the second half of the season with draws of their own to relegation-threatened West Ham, Forest and Tottenham.

Will they be made to rue those chances?

City a few years ago would have pounced on such opportunities. This season Arsenal have had breathing space.

If City are going to pounce, now is the time.

Image source, Getty Images

Freddie Pye, Fan writer

Last Saturday's game against Liverpool was a Haaland highlight reel - the perfect showcase of timing runs, anticipating the attacking phases of his creative team-mates and converting when either under immense pressure or faced by a physical battle from Ibrahima Konate and Virgil Van Dijk.

The truth is that neither of the Reds' central defensive pairing could get near him and the latter's poorly-timed challenge on Nico O'Reilly to give away a penalty in the first half certainly did not help their cause.

But for all his excellence in front of goal, the most exciting element of City's display involving Haaland was his combination play with Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo for a headed goal that left Giorgi Mamardashvili standing and watching as Haaland's headed effort flew beyond him.

In truth, Manchester City were always expected to beat Liverpool in this FA Cup quarter-final tie. But the margin of the scoreline is what may have surprised many, and that comes as a direct result of having Haaland firing to his true potential, or one that has too often been a passenger in the new calendar year.

It is a very scary thought for those competing directly with City for major trophies during the final weeks of the season, but despite his 40-goal contributions across all competitions, perhaps Haaland has not even reached his top level yet.

Read the full column on the BBC Sport Man City page

It seems Erling Haaland could be returning to a bit of form just at the right time, too.

After scoring 19 goals in 17 Premier League appearances prior to Christmas this season, he has since scored just three in his last 12, two of which have been penalties.

Before Christmas, he was averaging 0.89 non-penalty expected goals per 90 in the 2025-26 Premier League; since, this has dropped to 0.32.

But he did also score a hat-trick against Liverpool in the FA Cup last time out and that could well be the confidence boost he needs.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City have won 28 of their last 31 Premier League games in the month of April (drawn two, lost one).

Under Pep Guardiola, City average 2.50 points-per-game in the competition in April (P38 W30 D5 L3), the highest rate of any team to play 15+ matches in a specific month under a manager; in second place is also Guardiola’s Man City side in May (2.47).

Rob Green
Former Chelsea goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live at Stamford Bridge

You wonder at which point we're at in the Jaws music, when the duh duh duh duh gets going. We haven't got the strings coming in yet but it's close. It's getting to that point where you know if Man City click...

We've seen them do it, they go on runs of winning game after game. We've not seen it for a while because of the transition of squad, but this might be that point where they click and just go.

It seems that when it comes to this point of the season, Manchester City know how to grind out wins more than Arsenal do.

Out of the regular 10 months of a Premier League season - from August to May - April has been both Manchester City's best month under Pep Guardiola in terms of win percentage and Arsenal's worst during Mikel Arteta's tenure.

City did have a better success rate and Arsenal a worse one in the summer months of 2020 during the Covid pandemic, but those were only a handful of games.

Guardiola's side have incredibly had 30 victories in 38 games in April under him, drawing five and losing just three.

They have often dominated opponents at this point in the season too, scoring 102 goals at an impressive rate of 2.7 per game.

Image source, BBC Sport

Manchester City have two games in hand. Today's match against Chelsea and a match against Crystal Palace which is yet to be rearranged.

Let's take a look at what games each side have left...

Manchester City

• Chelsea (a)
• Arsenal (h)
• Burnley (a)
• Everton (a)
• Brentford (h)
• Bournemouth (a)
• Aston Villa (h)
• Crystal Palace (h, unknown date)

Arsenal

• Manchester City (a)
• Newcastle United (h)
• Fulham (h)
• West Ham (a)
• Burnley (h)
• Crystal Palace (a)

Manchester City's last Premier League result for a 1-1 draw against West Ham.

And while they have also since gone out of the Champions League, they have had more joy in the other two cup competitions.

Victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final sent them off to the international break with confidence and they returned with it in bags as they thrashed Liverpool 4-0 last week in the FA Cup quarter-final.

Have those two huge results provided them with a very welcome boost just when they need it most?

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport Chelsea reporter

Chelsea have not beaten Manchester City in any competition since winning the Champions League final in 2021.

Only Reece James remains from the squad that triumphed on that occasion, with all others having since left the club.

Chelsea are also now under American ownership through BlueCo, and amid a nine‑game winless run in the Premier League they have generally struggled against ‘big six’ opposition, with the exception of Tottenham.

It underlines how a once dominant Premier League force has become more of a cup team in the modern era.

Gary Neville
Former Manchester United defender on Sky Sports

On the Enzo Fernandez situation:

There has to be consequences. He's done it two or three times. When you see the words he has put out there about the manager, saying Maresca shouldn't have been sacked, about where the club is at, Rosenior can't sit and have any authority in that dressing room if he doesn't actually discipline him.

It is ridiculous. Cucurella has come out and said things too. There is obviously something brewing and it is not all rosy in the garden for Chelsea.

The last time Chelsea beat Manchester City it ended in this...

Image source, Getty Images

Today they are fighting for a return to the competition next season.

Snosrap: Another defeat pending for Rosenior... we lack experienced players. And an experienced manager. Contrast the two managers on show today. Don't you feel for the Chelsea fans?

Steph Houghton
Former England captain on BBC Radio 5 Live

I think Rosenior is trying to set a precedent with Fernandez for the rest of the squad, but I think Chelsea are focusing on the wrong things at this moment in time. Everyone spoke about the huddle, I understand it, but it has been made such a big thing. That is another example whether it is from the manager or the board where they have just opened up a can of worms.

Is it really neccessary? That should be something kept in house. If there is a sanction could it be a fine or something else? If I was a player in that dressing room I would be having questions.