Crystal Palace vs Manchester City

Defending Premier League champions Manchester City travel to Selhurst Park to take on one of the worst-performing sides in the league, Crystal Palace.

Last weekend’s underwhelming 1-0 home loss to Aston Villa condemned Crystal Palace to a ninth consecutive Premier League match without winning (D4, L4), accounting for the longest ongoing winless run in the league. Despite starting this round in mid-table, manager Patrick Vieira can fill the heat under his feet, as only five points separate his side from the drop zone. The ‘Eagles’ have drawn their last four home league games, all of which have contained under 2.5 goals, and could become the first side to make it five Premier League home stalemates on the trot since Burnley in 2022. There’s no doubt Palace wouldn’t mind another share of the spoils, considering they’ve failed to beat Man City in their last seven Premier League H2Hs in London (D2, L5).

As for Manchester City, a comfortable 2-0 home win over Newcastle United last time out has kept them five points below Premier League leaders Arsenal, extending their unbeaten league streak to five games (W4, D1). But even though they’re unbeaten on their last three top-flight travels (W2, D1), the ‘Citizens’ have already spurned more away points this season (15) than they did in the whole of 2021/22 (11). Yet as the only side to have hit a 60-goal milestone in the Premier League this term (66), Pep Guardiola’s men are confident about maintaining their decent away form. Visiting fans may have to be patient, though, given that Man City’s last nine Premier League goals against Palace have come in the second half of play.