Crystal Palace vs Man City – Analysis, Prediction, Team News

As part of our weekend Premier League predictions, we cast an eye over Man City’s visit to Selhurst Park. Palace are winless in 10 matches in all competitions – do they have a chance here? Read on with our Crystal Palace vs Man City prediction.

Crystal Palace vs Man City Match Preview

Crystal Palace face a difficult test against title-chasing Manchester City on the back of a rotten run of form which has slowly dragged them into the bottom half of the table. In a development that was almost unthinkable 10 matches ago, Palace are now just four points clear of the relegation zone and sinking fast. Those who believe we are engaging in hyperbole should note that a return of five points from nine Premier League matches is clearly relegation form, and it certainly doesn’t get any easier for them here. When we take into account that their immediate league schedule also includes away trips to both Brighton and Arsenal, their short-term outlook is bleak.

Nevertheless, upsets are a part of football and this is why the games are actually played rather than decided in advance. That being said, this is certainly an intimidating fixture for a team that has failed to win since the end of October; a 1-0 victory over struggling Southampton. On the other hand, any kind of positive result here would be considered a bonus, and therefore Palace can approach the game with a relatively carefree mindset. With a seven-point gap to 11th-placed Aston Villa, Palace will be more concerned about what happens in matches involving teams below them this weekend and whether or not they will be punished for falling to a likely defeat.

Manchester City have had a few issues of their own away from home this season, most notably losing three times in a row away to Southampton, Man Utd and Spurs. However, they’re now undefeated in five away matches in all competitions and are starting to find the back of the net with the kind of regularity that underpinned their early-season form. Week after week they’re putting pressure on an Arsenal side who, although they have been impressive for much of the campaign, are starting to escape with some last-gasp victories of late.

A win here would see City go 12 points clear of third-placed rivals Manchester United, temporarily at least. Though United have a game in hand, City are generally thought of as Arsenal’s most credible challengers for this season’s Premier League crown, and Arsenal have an away match against Fulham this weekend which could prove far from straightforward for the north London side. While Arsenal have held out so far, City have two more points than their tile rivals from their last 10 matches and there’s a general feeling of Arsenal being slowly reeled in.

Team News

Injuries and Suspensions

Crystal Palace:

Might Not Play: Ferguson

Will Not Play: Doucoure, Johnstone

Man City:

Might Not Play:

Will Not Play:

Crystal Palace vs Man City Lineups (Predicted)

Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Guaita; Mtichell, Guehi, Richards, Clyne; Lokonga, Hughes; Zaha, Eze, Ayew; Edouard

Man City (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Ake, Akanji, Dias, Walker; Rodri, Gundogan; De Bruyne Grealish, Foden; Haaland

Crystal Palace vs Man City Analysis

Palace Will Be Well Organised

Somewhat perversely, despite their low points tally and slide down the table over the last 9 matches, Crystal Palace have drawn their last four home matches against Man Utd, Newcastle, Brighton and Liverpool. That in itself is no mean feat, and the fact that they’ve achieved that run on the back of conceding just twice in over six hours of football tells you that it’s unlikely that Manchester City will turn up here and smash three or four past them (they absolutely could, but we have to work with the balance of probabilities here). We expect Palace to retreat even further against their opponents here to deny them space for clear opportunities – an obvious observation perhaps but an important one.

Therefore, we can see Palace almost operating with a back six at times, with space at a premium once City play the ball into midfield. We don’t expect Palace to press from the front too much because City’s defenders are adept at playing through the press and then getting forward to supplement their midfield and passing carousel, so allowing City to have the ball at the back and then triggering the press just outside of the final third is probably what we’re going to see from Patrick Vieira’s men. Palace will generally look to catch City’s full-backs and occasionally a centre-back moving into midfield out of position before transitioning rapidly in an effort to catch them out.

City are Still Searching for Balance

This talking point has been done to death, but evidence of City’s search for the right balance between control and goal threat this season resulted in them conceding in six straight matches. Results were mixed – three wins, two draws and a loss in all competitions. In typical Pep fashion, City experimented with a new approach designed to maximise their options in possession, with Rodri and Bernardo Silva looking to provide width when required on the flanks while providing City with extra control in the middle of the park. Results were mixed, and while City may not shelve this tactical approach entirely, they did revert to a 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 approach last time out against Newcastle.

The reason for this is obvious – while Haaland has certainly scored the goals he was brought in for, City have between now and the end of the season to increase their goal threat if the Norwegian is having a difficult time of it in any particular game. While it’s perhaps unfair to expect a young striker to score in every single match, his inclusion in a Champions League and Premier League-chasing team does require him to score goals with regularity given that his all-round game isn’t the best for such an elite goalscorer.

The most recent glaring example of this was the away match against RB Leipzig. If City can minimise the disruption to the team when Haaland is having an off night, then his inclusion is unquestionable. When it’s causing them to become one-dimensional as it has in certain games and reduces their overall threat, then they need to continue to find a solution.

Our Prediction

We think that City will indeed control the game for long periods, and their reversion to something resembling more of a conventional back four is in response to the unintended defensive consequences of their latest tactical experiment. Palace will not make it easy for City; despite their run of poor form, they’re undefeated in four home matches against credible opponents, conceding just two goals in the process.

It’s expected that Man City will find a way to win this game in order to keep up the pressure on Arsenal at the summit of the Premier League table, but it’s not likely to be a hammering. Famous last words perhaps, but City have struggled more often than usual this season against the low block; a symptom of attempting a tactical shift this season to carry a greater goal threat against the better sides in the Champions League.

Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City

Crystal Palace vs Man City Betting Tip – Under 2.5 Goals Odds: