Manchester City vs Crystal Palace

Etihad Stadium forms the backdrop for a high-stakes Premier League showdown between Manchester City and Crystal Palace.

The race for Champions League spots in the Premier League received a significant boost in midweek with confirmation that a 5th-placed finish will now grant entry to Europe’s elite competition. Man City are among the sides who could capitalize, currently sitting 6th in the table within a tightly-packed group of four teams from 4th to 7th, separated by just two pts. It seems unthinkable to imagine City finishing outside the top 5. However, just one win from their last four league outings (D2, L1) cannot inspire much confidence around Pep Guardiola’s camp this late in the campaign. The visit of Crystal Palace would typically spark a reaction, with City winning seven of the last 12 top-flight H2Hs (D4, L1), but having failed to win any of their three Saturday lunchtime kick-offs this year (D1, L2), that might not be guaranteed here.

In the meantime, only runaway leaders Liverpool (23) have picked up more points than Crystal Palace across the last ten Premier League games following a 2-1 home win against Brighton. With news that 5th now secures a Champions League spot, accompanied by Newcastle’s League Cup triumph pushing the qualification line further, Palace could be eyeing a historic European berth, with 8th possibly enough for continental action. This would mark a major milestone, considering the Eagles have never featured in Europe’s top competition. Furthermore, Oliver Glasner’s men head into proceedings amid a seven-game unbeaten away streak (W6, D2), keeping seven clean sheets in that period. However, they’ve conceded 2+ goals in ten of their last 11 H2Hs.