MANCHESTER CITY host Crystal Palace in Saturday's Premier League encounter at the Etihad.
Man City vs Crystal Palace preview
Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City squad are unlikely to have enjoyed watching Arsenal's recent Champions League heroics â a stark reminder of what they risk missing out on next season.
To ensure they are rubbing shoulders with Europe’s elite once again, City must take maximum points when they welcome an in-form Crystal Palace side to the Etihad on Saturday.
Their task has been made slightly easier by UEFA’s revised qualification criteria, which now guarantees a Champions League spot for the Premier League’s fifth-placed side.
Even so, City currently find themselves just outside those positions with only seven games remaining in the 2024â25 campaign.
The Cityzens sit sixth on 52 points â one behind both Chelsea and Newcastle, though the latter have a game in hand.
Guardiola’s side face a tricky run-in, with fixtures against Everton, Aston Villa, Fulham and Bournemouth still to come after this weekend’s clash.
There is some encouragement for City, however, because they’ve lost just one of their last 12 Premier League meetings with Palace (W7 D4). Yet, the visitors arrive in red-hot form.
Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League away games â the longest run in the club’s top-flight history.
The Eagles are the division’s most in-form team over the last five matches, and only league leaders Liverpool (23 points) have collected more than Palace’s 21 from the last 10.
Oliver Glasner’s men have won four of their last five league outings and six of their last eight on the road â with seven of those away victories accompanied by a clean sheet.
- Man City 6/11 with William Hill – CLAIM HERE
- Draw 16/5 with Betfred – CLAIM HERE
- Crystal Palace 5/1 with BetMGM – CLAIM HERE
Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Goals
The reverse fixture between these two sides ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park back in December â a result that came as little surprise given their recent history.
Their previous four encounters have produced a remarkable 17 goals, and the trend doesn't stop there. Over 2.5 goals have been scored in 14 of the last 20 meetings between the sides, underlining their reputation for high-scoring affairs.
Goals are rarely in short supply when City and Palace clash, and with Guardiola’s men keeping just two clean sheets in their last 16 matches, another goal-laden encounter looks likely this weekend.
- Over 3.5 Goals at 7/5 with William Hill – CLAIM HERE
Goalscorer
Given Crystal Palace are expected to score a couple of goals, it’s reasonable to back their talisman Jean-Philippe Mateta to find the net.
The 27-year-old Frenchman is on the verge of becoming just the third Palace player to reach double figures in consecutive Premier League seasons. Only Mohamed Salah has scored more Premier League goals in 2025 than Mateta, who has bagged nine in 12 starts.
He’s also scored twice in his last three appearances against the Cityzens.
- Jean-Philippe Mateta to score at 19/10 with William Hill – CLAIM HERE
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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