Manchester City are not ready to throw in the towel in the Premier League title race just yet and, on this evidence, Phil Foden is unwilling to do the same in belated pursuit of a World Cup place with England.
Pep Guardiola gambled with his team selection here, so much so in fact that you had to wonder if the City manager felt the title had already gone.
But his stand-ins – led by the imperious Foden – delivered a very professional display and three fine goals against Crystal Palace to ensure Arsenal still have plenty of work to do yet if they are to end their 20-year wait for the title.
With a trip to Bournemouth next Tuesday, three days after the FA Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley, before the final day visit of Aston Villa, Guardiola clearly felt something had to give and so chose this game at home to Palace to ring the changes.
It was a bold move – and given the way Palace started, one that initially looked like it might backfire – but then Foden grabbed hold of the game, remembered there is still an outstanding player in there and City never looked back.
This has been another tough season for Foden, an autumn flourish eventually giving way to more despondency, but could he be timing his run for an England call-up to perfection?
Foden produced a virtuoso performance at the Etihad Stadium – Naomi Baker/Getty Images
His virtuoso performance here, which featured assists for the opening two goals – the first an arresting no-look back-heel that most players could not have dreamt up, let alone executed – followed strong showings from the bench against Everton and Brentford.
He also now has 12 goal involvements in the Premier League this season – more than Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer and Eberechi Eze. Not bad given he has been a shadow of himself for most of it. “He has to be a big role in the future and has to deliver,” Guardiola said. “He felt how the people love him with the standing ovation at the end.”
Pep Guardiola congratulates Foden on his performance – Jason Cairnduff/Action Images
Whether it is enough to persuade Thomas Tuchel to take him to the US remains to be seen but before then he and City will aim to add the FA Cup to the Carabao Cup they won in March – and pray Arsenal slip up before they face Bournemouth.
With relegated Burnley the visitors to the Emirates Stadium on Monday, that seems unlikely. But, at the very least, City will hope to take it to the final day and now have a one-goal better difference than the leaders.
“The aim is to keep pushing and keep them [Arsenal] on their toes,” Foden said. “We’ve seen a lot of things can happen on the final day. I’ve experienced it many times when the game doesn’t go your way. We just have to keep pushing and doing our part.”
Palace faded away after their bright start and will have to play better than this to trouble Arsenal on the final day at Selhurst Park, although they will also have an eye on their Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano the following Wednesday. So the odds remain stacked against City but it is not done yet.
There were six changes to the team that beat Brentford on Saturday, with Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki all on the bench, and five of those picked had just 20 starts between them since the turn of the year. Josko Gvardiol was making his first appearance for four months after injury.
On the pitch, though, City’s stand-ins approached things like there was everything still to play for – the title, a place in Saturday’s FA Cup final team and, in some cases, perhaps even their own futures.
After a dicey start, when Palace almost caught the home side cold on a couple of occasions, City gradually found their stride. And no one more so than Foden.
It has been another difficult season for the 2024 PFA Player of the Year but there were glimpses of a corner slowly being turned against Everton and Brentford and he turned it up another notch altogether against Palace.
They say class is permanent and form is temporary and it was no better illustrated in that moment in the 32nd minute when Foden produced one of the assists of the season.
A split second before receiving Matheus Nunes’s pass in a half space a few yards outside the penalty area, Foden glanced briefly over his shoulder.
Then the ball rolled in and the midfielder, knowing exactly where Antoine Semenyo was, played a no-look back-heel into the path of the Ghana forward, who had run off Chris Richards. Semenyo’s finish into the far corner was pinpoint. “It is one of those, sometimes it doesn’t come off but sometimes a risk is worth taking and I’m very delighted it came off,” Foden said. Guardiola was purring. “He is unique close to the box,” the manager added.
Watching Foden in recent months, it has sometimes felt like he just needs a hefty shot of confidence. Flashes of genius like that will do no harm and you could see the uplift in him after it. Suddenly, he was everywhere and, eight minutes later, he was the provider again, hooking Gvardiol’s lovely scooped pass into the path of Omar Marmoush. The Egypt striker nonchalantly rolled Tyrick Mitchell then fired beyond Dean Henderson.
Henderson made a superb save soon after to deny a bullet header from Gvardiol from a delicious whipped cross from Foden – who else – and the England man then teed up Bernardo Silva, who fired just over.
Palace really needed to make more of those early chances. Yéremy Pino had a shot deflected just wide, Richards should have done better with a header from a corner and Mitchell drew a good save from Gianluigi Donnarumma. But they were otherwise second best and when substitute Cherki waltzed down the middle of the pitch late on and threaded a pass through to Savinho to score.
City’s second string could congratulate themselves on a job well done.
10:26pm
Phil Foden’s backheel assist
10:20pm
Post-match thoughts of Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol
10:18pm
Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix speaking to Sky Sports
“Quite difficult when you get three goals against an opponent. It is always difficult. Today we were not at our top level and when you play these types of top teams you have to be better.
“I think we take it game-by-game. We take all the games really seriously. I think we did good intensity, but maybe not in the right moments. Against big teams you cannot make big mistakes.”
10:16pm
Jamie Redknapp on Sky Sports
10:15pm
Foden strengthens his case
It has been a challenging season for Phil Foden but his performance tonight, where he has been named man of the match, saw him register two assists, which includes that sublime backheel for Antoine Semenyo’s opener. He is in a big fight with the likes of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Eberechi Eze for spots in the England squad, with it unlikely that all of them will make the squad. After a performance like tonight, should Foden make that England squad?
10:10pm
Micah Richards on Sky Sports
10:05pm
Who will win the title?
Arsenal or Manchester City? The ball is in Arsenal’s court, two points clear with two games to go and an easier two games remaining on paper. What do you think? Have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
10:02pm
The remaining PL games for Arsenal and Manchester City
Monday May 18:
Arsenal vs Burnley
Tuesday May 19:
Bournemouth vs Manchester City
Sunday May 24:
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
Manchester City vs Aston Villa
On paper, Manchester City’s last two games look significantly harder than Arsenal’s, with a tough trip to Bournemouth followed by a home game against Aston Villa.
09:59pm
FT stats
Possession: Manchester City 72%-28% Crystal Palace
Shots: 15-6
Shots on target: 4-2
Corners: 9-4
Touches in opposition box: 39-9
09:56pm
How things stand with two games left
09:53pm
Full time
There is late VAR check for a possible handball against Stones but it is cleared.
Then the final whistle is blown and Manchester City have cruised to a 3-0 win thanks to goals from Semenyo, Foden and Savinho. Pep Guardiola’s side close the gap to leaders Arsenal to two points going into the final two games.
09:49pm
90+1 mins: Manchester City 3 Crystal Palace 0
Savinho, as he did a few minutes ago, has gone down again with cramp. Manchester City have no substitutions left so Savinho cannot come off without going down to 10 men for the final stages.
09:47pm
90 mins: Manchester City 3 Crystal Palace 0
There will be five added minutes.
09:44pm
86 mins: Manchester City 3 Crystal Palace 0
Cherki and Savinho nearly link up for another great goal. Cherki lifts a ball into the box and Savinho hits it first time on the volley, cutting across the ball, but his effort goes just wide of the far post. Savinho now has a bit of cramp.
09:41pm Key moments • Goals • Video
GOAL! Savinho puts the seal on the win
That is game, set and match. Cherki drives forward from inside his own half all the way to the edge of the Palace box. He releases a pass forward into the box at just the right moment and Savinho slots home into the far corner first time. Manchester City’s goal difference is now better than Arsenal’s, if that becomes a factor.
09:40pm
83 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Since coming on, Wharton has played some sublime passes, the latest putting Strand Larsen through but the Norwegian blazes over.
09:40pm
82 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
The changes keep coming. Palace bring on Clyne for Munoz.
Manchester City are bringing on Stones, whose career at the club is coming to an end. He is serenaded by the home fans as he comes on and puts on the captain’s armband. Foden, with two assists to his name, makes way.
09:39pm
81 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Kamada goes down inside the Manchester City box, wanting a penalty, but instead is booked for diving. Donnarumma inexplicably gives the ball away and Kamada bursts into the penalty area. He goes down under a challenge from Kovacic but is booked for simulation. There is a tiny bit of contact from Kovacic, which may have made the booking for diving harsh but it definitely was not a penalty.
09:36pm
79 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Double change for the home side as Cherki and Kovacic come on for Marmoush and Silva, who is coming towards the end of his time at the club, with this being his penultimate home game at Manchester City.
09:35pm
77 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
That is dreadful from Semenyo. He works it well initially between himself and Savinho down Manchester City’s right and Semenyo carries the ball towards the Palace penalty area. He tries to lay it off to Doku on the edge of the box but the pass is woeful and straight at a Palace player. It was as if he did not even look when he passed.
09:32pm
74 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Change for Palace as Kamada replaces Johnson.
09:30pm
72 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
For the first time tonight, Pep Guardiola is very animated in the dugout. The Spaniard has been fairly calm thus far but perhaps he does not want to see his side become complacent, like they were at Everton just over a week ago.
09:27pm
69 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
That is a waste from Johnson. Wharton plays a delightful ball from inside his own half with the outside of his left boot into the path of Johnson down Palace’s left. Johnson has Strand Larsen in the middle but the cross is woeful, landing on top of the net.
09:21pm
63 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Silva is a lucky man. He plays a ridiculous pass inside his own half, which is easily intercepted by Sarr, who drives into the Manchester City box before shooting but his shot lacks power and is easily saved by Donnarumma. That was a loss of focus from Silva and Manchester City will not want to be complacent here by gifting Palace a route back into this game. The memories of Manchester City’s game at Everton will be fresh in their minds.
09:18pm
60 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Oliver Glasner has decided it is time for a triple change on the hour mark. Wharton, Sarr and Strand Larsen all come on.
09:16pm
58 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Pep Guardiola is going to make his first two changes of the night as Doku and Ake come on for Gvardiol and Nunes. Doku has scored some crucial goals in the last few weeks for Manchester City. Gvardiol got through nearly an hour on his return from injury. Gvardiol going off may see Ait-Nouri move back to his more traditional spot of left-back or perhaps that may be where Ake plays.
09:12pm
55 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Foden spots space in behind the Palace defence and looks to pick out the run of Marmoush but Henderson is quickly out of his box to head away. That was quick thinking from Henderson or else Marmoush could have been in one-on-one.
09:10pm
52 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
Mitchell is the first player into the book tonight for a nasty challenge on Savinho. No more than a yellow but still not a nice challenge from Mitchell. More mistimed than a dangerous act of foul play.
09:07pm
49 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
There was interest when the teams dropped as to where Ait-Nouri would play with Gvardiol also in the home starting XI. The answer has been Gvardiol lining up at left-back with Ait-Nouri playing in a more advanced left wing position.
09:02pm
Second half
We are back under way at a very wet Etihad.
08:58pm
Closing the gap
As it stands, the gap between Arsenal and Manchester City will be two points with two games remaining. If this game stays at 2-0, Arsenal and Manchester City’s goal differences would be exactly the same on +42.
08:56pm
Important night for Foden
It has not been a vintage season from Phil Foden but he has two assists to his name tonight, including that sublime backheel for Antoine Semenyo’s goal. Foden has a fight on his hands to make Thomas Tuchel’s England squad this summer and tonight will do his hopes no harm. Do you think Foden should be in that England squad? Remember you can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
08:52pm
HT stats
Possession: Manchester City 75%-25% Crystal Palace
Shots: 10-3
Shots on target: 3-1
Corners: 6-2
Touches in opposition box: 16-3
08:46pm
Half-time
The first half is brought to an end and Manchester City lead 2-0 at the break thanks to goals from Semenyo and Marmoush. As it stands, Pep Guardiola’s side are cutting the gap to Arsenal to two points.
08:45pm
45 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
There will be one added minute at the end of this first half.
08:43pm Key moments
43 mins: Manchester City 2 Crystal Palace 0
As it stands, Manchester City are going to reduce the gap to Arsenal to two points with two games left.
Manchester City might start eyeing up an improvement to their goal difference and are so close to making it 3-0. Foden, eyeing up his third assist of the night, clips a lovely cross into the box and finds Gvardiol. The Croatian’s header looks destined for the net but a fine diving stop from Henderson prevents Manchester City getting their third.
08:40pm Key moments • Goals • Video
GOAL! Marmoush doubles Manchester City’s advantage
The Egyptian could not take a chance a few minutes ago but he takes this opportunity. Gvardiol lifts a ball into the box to pick out the run of Foden, who brings it down. The touch gets away form him but falls into the path of Marmoush, who lets the ball run across him and then fires his shot on the turn. Henderson gets a leg to it but cannot prevent the goal.
Another fine goal from City. Gvardiol, making his first appearance since early January, scoops a lovely pass into the path of Foden, who then hooks the ball into the Marmoush. He rolls Mitchell with his body then finishes coolly. Such a good goal.
08:39pm
39 mins: Manchester City 1 Crystal Palace 0
Here is a stat for you; Manchester City have made 117 successful passes in the final third, Crystal Palace have made just two.
08:37pm
37 mins: Manchester City 1 Crystal Palace 0
Marmoush cannot take a good chance to double Manchester City’s advantage. Richards loses the ball inside his own half and Manchester City drive towards the Palace box. Savinho then lays it off to his right, where he finds Marmoush. Inside the Palace box, Marmoush cuts inside Canvot but Lacroix gets back to intercept before Marmoush can get his shot away.
08:33pm
33 mins: Manchester City 1 Crystal Palace 0
Palace look to respond immediately as Mateta lays it off to Mitchell in space on the left side of the penalty area and the latter hits it first time, forcing Donnarumma into a decent save.
08:31pm Key moments • Goals • Video
GOAL! Semenyo fires Manchester City in front
The first real moment of quality results in a goal for the home side. I had just spoke about Foden struggling to make an impact in this game but that is superb ingenuity from him. His backheel into the box finds Semenyo, who shows great composure before firing first time into the far corner, giving Henderson no chance. A great assist and a terrific finish.
Form temporary, class permanent? One of the assists of the season there from Phil Foden. He scanned just before receiving the ball from Nunes then played a no-look back heel into the path of Semenyo, who ran off Richards and finished coolly into the bottom corner. Foden was good when he came on as a substitute against Everton and Brentford and moments like that will do his chances of a World Cup call up no harm.
08:29pm
30 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
Palace have not even had 30% possession in this opening half an hour but look comfortable in their shape. They are disciplined out of possession and Manchester City thus far have struggled to carve out many genuine chances.
08:27pm
27 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
There is a lot of attention on Foden tonight, with the likes of Cherki and Doku on the bench. Foden has gone a long time without a goal in the Premier League and is battling for a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad this summer, which is looking far from certain. He has struggled to make too much of an impact on this match so far.
08:24pm
24 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
Manchester City are dominating the numbers but are lacking in creativity, with Cherki and Doku on the bench, and a killer instinct up top with no Haaland in the starting XI. Semenyo is playing pretty centrally in the absence of Haaland but is not as involved in the game as he is when he is out wide.
08:21pm
21 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
The weather in Manchester is absolutely foul right now, with the rain hammering down.
08:20pm
19 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
Ait-Nouri exchanges a one-two with Guehi and drives into the Crystal Palace penalty area on the left-hand side but with his weaker right foot he shoots into the side netting.
08:17pm
17 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
Khusanov, like his centre-half partner a few minutes ago, decides to shoot from range but his effort missed the target by some way. His eyes lit up there.
08:15pm
15 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
Guehi lines up a shot on the edge of the box and eyes up a stunning goal against his former club but gets it so wrong the ball ends up going out for a throw-in! He has a smile on his face though, seeing the funny side of that dreadful attempt!
08:12pm
12 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
A chance on the counter for Palace. They work it well down their left and Mateta flicks it into the path of Johnson, who charges down the left touchline. He then picks out Pino in the penalty area and the Spaniard’s effort takes a deflection off Gvardiol, going behind for a corner.
Hughes’ inswinger finds Richards in the six-yard box but the American’s header goes over. That was a good opportunity.
08:08pm
8 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
Good work from Ait-Nouri down Manchester City’s left wins the hosts a corner. Silva takes but Lacroix heads away.
08:06pm
6 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
There are appeals for handball inside the Crystal Palace penalty area. The ball did strike Canvot’s arm from Nunes’ cross but it was from very close range and Canvot’s arm was right down by his side so not deliberate. Good decision not to give a penalty.
08:05pm
4 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
Some might have looked at Pep Guardiola’s team selection tonight and thought there was an air of resignation in light of Arsenal’s dramatic and controversial win at West Ham on Sunday. The home crowd inside the Etihad are pretty quiet and subdued, perhaps themselves resigned to the fact that the title is very much Arsenal’s to lose now.
08:03pm Key moments
2 mins: Manchester City 0 Crystal Palace 0
Palace think they have scored inside the opening two minutes but the offside flag has gone up. Pino shifts a ball out to the right to pick out the run of Johnson, who spots the run of Mateta to the back post. Johnson squares it and Mateta fires first time towards goal. There is no call on whether it went over the line but Johnson is flagged offside anyway. It looked like the ball did cross the line but that does not matter as Johnson was definitely offside in the build-up.
08:00pm
Kick-off
We are under way at the Etihad. A win is a non-negotiable for Manchester City tonight; anything less and Arsenal could seal the title on Monday night.
07:56pm
Nearly ready for action
Both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off at the Etihad. Here is a reminder of how the two sides line up this evening:
Manchester City: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri, Silva, Foden, Semenyo, Savinho, Marmoush.
Substitutes: Trafford, Dias, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Kovacic, Haaland, Cherki, Doku.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Canvot, Lacroix, Richards, Munoz, Mitchell, Lerma, Hughes, Johnson, Mateta, Pino.
Substitutes: Benitez, Sarr, Clyne, Kamada, Wharton, Strand Larsen, Riad, Devenny, Cardines.
07:54pm Opinion
Focus on the hosts
I personally don’t understand Guardiola’s team selection. Sure, there’s an FA Cup final this weekend but you’d think looking at it the title had already gone. It may be advantage Arsenal but it’s not done.
07:52pm
Will Pep stay or go?
07:49pm
Jamie Redknapp on Phil Foden
07:46pm
Pre-match thoughts of Marc Guehi
The defender started for Crystal Palace against Manchester City in the reverse fixture but tonight starts against his former club. He has been speaking ahead of the game to Sky Sports:
“It is nice to play against a team I was once at. They did a lot for me. Nice to see some familiar faces, really nice. Just win. Just win. Control counter attacks, be persistent, make sure the chances we do get, put them away.”
07:43pm
Crystal Palace’s last five results
Crystal Palace 2 Everton 2 (Premier League)
Crystal Palace 2 Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Conference League)
Bournemouth 3 Crystal Palace 0 (Premier League)
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 Crystal Palace 3 (Conference League)
Liverpool 3 Crystal Palace 1 (Premier League)
07:38pm
Manchester City’s last five results
Manchester City 3 Brentford 0 (Premier League)
Everton 3 Manchester City 3 (Premier League)
Manchester City 2 Southampton 1 (FA Cup)
Burnley 0 Manchester City 1 (Premier League)
Manchester City 2 Arsenal 1 (Premier League)
07:34pm
Pre-match thoughts of Oliver Glasner
“It is about talking to the players, talking to the medical staff and other coaches. Look into their eyes and take a decision. I was looking at the numbers, what they delivered in the last games and weeks. That was the decision to rest Ismaila Sarr who has played so many minutes, always at intensity. Also Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada.
“The back; they are doing really well so we did not want to make too many changes. But we want to make earlier substitutions because in the last game we had too many things. But it should be fine now. Every decision today affects the final, a little bit. We will need all players in a good shape. We had a few players, such as Will Hughes, who was ill and in the last five games has only played five minutes. He needs minutes to be in the best shape. That is why he starts.
“It is really preparing the team but, as I told the players, we need and want to show a good performance. This gives us confidence. If we can see we are competitive against City, it gives us confidence. It is a mix of having the final in the back of our mind, but the important game today against Manchester City. Pep [Guardiola] rotates more than we expected. Yes, he is fighting for the title. But he has a big final on Saturday. Two days in between, you always have to think about the next game. Every injury affects the rest of the season and the World Cup. It is a crucial part of the season.”
07:29pm
Ex-Manchester City man Micah Richards on Sky Sports
07:23pm
Manchester City squad audit: Who must stay and who must go
After dominating the Premier League for a decade under Pep Guardiola, Manchester City have been busy planning for the prospect of their storied manager stepping away at the end of the season.
It would mark a major change for the club and throw a different complexion on what was already going to be a big summer.
City have spent £425m in the past 18 months revamping the squad and Guardiola has taken a promising team in transition to within touching distance of another domestic treble, even if it is going to take a significant collapse from Arsenal now to land a seventh title in 10 years.
07:17pm
Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards speaking to Sky Sports
“We want to keep the rhythm that we have had throughout the season. We have had a lot of ups, we want to keep those ups right up until the final. We want to win games, regardless what the rest of the league is looking like. We want to get three points for ourselves. If it spoils somebody’s party, so be it. But we want to continue our own party. Manchester City is a great team, everybody in the world knows this. We know it is not going to be an easy game, by no means. It is going to be a very busy night!”
07:12pm
Pre-match thoughts of Pep Guardiola
07:06pm
On this day 14 years ago
07:01pm
Teams in full
Manchester City: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri, Silva, Foden, Semenyo, Savinho, Marmoush.
Substitutes: Trafford, Dias, Reijnders, Stones, Ake, Kovacic, Haaland, Cherki, Doku.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Canvot, Lacroix, Richards, Munoz, Mitchell, Lerma, Hughes, Johnson, Mateta, Pino.
Substitutes: Benitez, Sarr, Clyne, Kamada, Wharton, Strand Larsen, Riad, Devenny, Cardines.
06:57pm
Guardiola: I have never trusted VAR
Pep Guardiola says he has never trusted VAR and can only rely on his Manchester City players to wrestle the Premier League title from Arsenal’s grasp.
Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the table at the weekend after West Ham United had a stoppage-time equaliser ruled out by the biggest VAR call since its top-flight introduction seven years ago.
Guardiola says his players must look at their own performances rather than the officials as he has so little faith in VAR. The City manager pointed out being on the wrong end of decisions involving the system in the last two FA Cup finals.
06:52pm
Must-win game for Manchester City
It is fairly simple for Manchester City; if they do not beat Crystal Palace tonight, Arsenal would have the chance to win the league on Monday night at home against Burnley.
06:45pm Key moments
Crystal Palace team
06:45pm Key moments
Manchester City team
06:42pm
Team news incoming
We are about to find out the two starting XIs at the Etihad. How does Pep Guardiola approach team selection tonight, with the FA Cup final coming up on Saturday? Can he afford to make too many changes tonight knowing his side cannot afford to drop any points if they want to remain in the title race?
06:37pm Key moments
Win a non-negotiable for the hosts
Manchester City know a win is absolutely essential to remain in the title race as they host Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side claimed an important three points on Saturday evening, beating Brentford 3-0 at home. That win put the pressure on leaders Arsenal, who looked like they might drop points at West Ham yesterday but Mikel Arteta’s side claimed a dramatic and controversial late victory. Manchester City start the night five points off Arsenal, with this being a game in hand, and have to win tonight to keep the pressure on the leaders heading into the final two league games.
“It has always been a tough game [against Crystal Palace], especially under Roy Hodgson and now Oliver [Glasner],” Guardiola said. “They have a European final, but maybe struggling in the Premier League because of a lot of changes. The manager is leaving, it was announced a long time ago, and maybe they have not been consistent, but the quality is there. The patterns are there. In Germany, he [Glasner] did an incredible job. He is an experienced manager, no doubt. They are a top team. They are tough to beat, always have been, but still we are there.”
The hosts are hoping to welcome back Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov to the matchday squad.
Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet twice when these sides last met – Jordan Pettitt/PA
Crystal Palace drew 2-2 against Everton on Sunday and their Premier League safety is secure, even if they never really looked like being sucked into the relegation battle. Their focus will now primarily be on the Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in two weeks’ time.
“We have shown the players where we can find our chances to score against them [Man City],” Glasner said. “We want to be more efficient and we believe we can create chances, but the big challenge is to control their attack. Now we know we have the final weeks, but we still want to improve our game. We want to do better. We want to show the best football we can play. This is the standard we created here at the training ground, that we are not just playing for results, we are playing to improve. We are playing to raise our standards.”
There are no fresh injury concerns for the visitors, with Evann Guessand and Borna Sosa closing in on returns but not quite ready to play tonight.
Manchester City won the reverse fixture 3-0 at Selhurst Park back in December thanks to goals from Phil Foden and a double from Erling Haaland. Manchester City are unbeaten in their last eight league meetings with Crystal Palace.
Team news to follow shortly.
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