Pep Guardiola’s team need points to boost their chances of finishing in the top five and qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
By Graham Ruthven
Soaring Eagles
Last weekend’s Manchester Derby was one to forget. Manchester City must find a higher level to get the better of high-flying Crystal Palace on Saturday with the Eagles currently on a run of six wins in their last seven games.
City struggled without Erling Haaland at Old Trafford. Omar Marmoush led the line, but struggled for space as Manchester United sat deep and stayed compact. The Egyptian must do more to affect things in the final third this weekend.
Palace aren’t exactly struggling for attacking firepower at the moment. Indeed, they have found the back of the net 14 times in their last six games in all competitions with Jean-Philippe Mateta back from injury.
Mateta found the back of the net in Crystal Palace’s 2-1 win over Brighton last weekend. Eberechi Eze has also been in excellent form of late, registering four goal involvements in his last three appearances. He will be a threat at the Etihad Stadium.
There’s only two points between fourth and seventh in the Premier League table with City in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League. A positive result on Saturday would point them in the right direction again.
Key players
While Marmoush was quiet against Manchester United in the derby, the Egyptian has still made a strong start to life at City, scoring five goals in just nine Premier League appearances.
Pep Guardiola deployed Kevin de Bruyne as a ‘False Nine’ against United, but is more likely to drop the Belgian back into the midfield unit to face Crystal Palace. City need the out-going creator to be at his inventive best.
Phil Foden has been a shadow of the player who was Player of the Year in the Premier League last season. Nonetheless, the England international is capable of producing something out of nothing and will almost certainly feature on Saturday.
Palace’s frontline of Mateta, Eze and Ismaïla Sarr has the potential to cause Manchester City all kinds of problems. Oliver Glasner likes his team to play at speed and this could expose the space in behind Guardiola’s backline.
Adam Wharton is also the sort of central midfielder Guardiola wishes he had. The England international is back to his best after a slow start to the season and will give Palace a foothold in the centre of the pitch.
Team news
Haaland is still unavailable through injury with the Norwegian striker expected to miss the rest of the season. Rodri is another long-term absentee, although the Spaniard could be back before the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
Manuel Akanji, Nathan Aké and John Stones are missing for Manchester City, leaving Guardiola short of options at the back. This could see Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes continue in the full back positions.
Marc Guéhi and Eddie Nketiah are both suspended for the trip to the Etihad Stadium after seeing red in the win over Brighton while Cheick Doucouré and Chadi Riad are still sidelined through injury.
Otherwise, Glasner has a fully fit and available squad to choose from. Palace have the potential to shock City in front of their own fans.
Prediction
This could be another stumbling block in City’s efforts to reach next season’s Champions League with the visiting Eagles more than capable of securing an away win: Man City 1-2 Crystal Palace.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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