Manchester City – Crystal Palace
Rarely has a meeting between Man City and Crystal Palace promised so much: the Citizens are surprisingly in 6th place in the table after a mixed season, while the Eagles under Oliver Glasner are traveling to Manchester with four wins from their last five league games. After the 0-0 derby against United, City are keen not to lose touch with the top. Palace are currently 11th with 43 points, just two points behind Bournemouth. However, the Londoners will have to make do without the suspended Edward Nketiah, and the Skyblues are without Kyle Walker due to elbow surgery. After the early exit from the Champions League and League Cup, everything points to a major upheaval: Pep Guardiola is said to be working on a change in the squad, while Kevin De Bruyne has announced his departure at the end of the season.
Manchester City – Crystal Palace Info
- Stadium: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
- Date and Time: 12.04.2025, 1:30 pm
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 32)
Manchester City Form & Record Check
Manchester City is currently showing an unusual vulnerability. In the last five league games, there were only two wins and most recently the sobering 0-0 in the city derby. Even against teams like Nottingham Forest, there was a temporary lack of punch. The current league position – just one point behind Newcastle and one point ahead of Aston Villa – is unusual for the English champions. It is also noticeable that City have hardly scored any goals in the second half recently and tactical problems are becoming increasingly apparent.
The unrest is further fueled by Guardiola’s rebuilding plans. After Kevin De Bruyne announced his departure, possible new additions such as Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen) and Destiny Udogie (Tottenham) are in high demand. The loss of Kyle Walker, who has to take a break due to surgery on his right elbow, also weighs on the team. Despite a 2-0 win against Leicester in the league, the Skyblues appear uncharacteristically vulnerable, which could make the upcoming game against the in-form Crystal Palace perhaps the decisive turning point.
A glance at Manchester City’s possible starting lineup suggests a 4-3-1-2 formation. Pep Guardiola will have to be creative as he is without key players: Rodri is out for the long term, top striker Haaland is suffering from an injury, and Akanji, Stones and Aké are unavailable in defense. So young Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol and Nunes could form the back four.
In midfield, Kovačić and Gündoğan would be responsible for the defensive work, while Kevin De Bruyne could take on the role of playmaker behind a doublespitze of Marmoush and Foden. However, as Guardiola is known for tactical surprises, this remains just one of several options. The use of Grealish or Doku in offense is by no means out of the question.
Crystal Palace Form & Record Check
Crystal Palace are in excellent form under coach Oliver Glasner. They have won four and drawn one of their last five matches. The team has been particularly strong in the second half, as shown by their recent 2-1 win over Brighton. The Eagles are currently in 11th place with 43 points and are surprisingly close to the top.
In attack, Jean-Philippe Mateta is the focus of attention, having scored nine goals in his last 13 appearances. Defensively, Palace have shown rare stability, keeping a clean sheet in the last five matches after the break. However, the upcoming task remains a challenge – and not just in sporting terms. Glasner himself is apparently being targeted by several top clubs, which makes the team’s future even more exciting.
Under Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace usually play in a 3-4-2-1 system, which has proven effective. A possible back three of Lerma, Guéhi and Ward gives the team defensive security. In midfield, Mitchell and Muñoz are likely to provide width on the wings, while Wharton and Kamada control the center. In front, striker Mateta is likely to be supported by the offensive Eze and Sarr.
Still sorely missed is Cheick Doucouré, who will not be back until next year after knee surgery. Chadi Riad (cruciate ligament rupture) and Maxence Lacroix (head injury) are also still out of the question. Doucouré’s absence in particular leaves a gap in the defensive midfield, which the team has so far compensated for well.
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace Statics
The head-to-head is clearly in favor of Manchester City: in their last five Premier League meetings, the Skyblues have recorded three wins and two draws against Crystal Palace. The most recent meeting ended in a 2-2 draw in December 2020, after City had won 4-2 away in April of that year. Notably, City have scored in all five matches and have been particularly clinical in the second halves.
Palace, on the other hand, managed to score in four of these encounters and showed at times that they are more than capable of giving City a hard time. Nevertheless, they have not yet managed to beat Guardiola’s team. It remains to be seen whether this time will be different – the momentum is in favor of Palace, but history clearly favors Manchester City.
