While mathematically possible, Manchester City’s Premier League title hopes hinge on Arsenal dropping points in their final fixtures. For Manchester City to retain their crown, Arsenal would need to lose both of their remaining games—against already-relegated Burnley and Crystal Palace—while City secure wins against Bournemouth and Aston Villa. Such a scenario, however, seems highly unlikely under Pep Guardiola’s leadership.

City’s home dominance continues as Palace prepares to face them

Despite a FA Cup final defeat to Palace last season, City have remained unbeaten in their last eight Premier League meetings with the Eagles, a streak dating back to October 2021 (5 wins, 3 draws). This season, City have also been flawless at home in 2025/26, with their only setback coming in August against Tottenham (13 wins, 3 draws). Notably, City have scored first in every Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium since that loss to Spurs. Crystal Palace will need to start strong to avoid falling into an early deficit.

City’s attacking prowess is undeniable this term. Their 38 goals scored in the first half are the highest in the league, while they’ve conceded just nine before the break—the fewest in the competition. Additionally, City have gone unbeaten in their last 23 evening fixtures, though they’ve drawn five of their eight matches played after 19:00 this calendar year.

Haaland and Doku set to exploit Palace’s defensive frailties

Erling Haaland has a remarkable record against Palace, scoring in each of his five Premier League appearances for City against them. He joins an elite group of Premier League players who have netted in their first six matches against the same opponent, alongside Mo Salah and Raheem Sterling (both against Bournemouth).

Jerémy Doku is another player in scintillating form, contributing five goals and two assists in his last six outings—matching his combined tally from his previous 24 appearances for City (1 goal, 6 assists). His pace and creativity will be a constant threat to Palace’s backline.

Palace’s attacking duo on fire

Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr has been in red-hot form, netting nine goals in his last ten starts, including 20 league goals this season—the highest tally for a Palace player since Glenn Murray in 2012/13. Jean-Philippe Mateta is also chasing a historic milestone: a goal against City would make him only the second Palace player, after Wilfried Zaha, to reach 50 Premier League goals for the club. Notably, 17 of his 49 career goals came away from Selhurst Park, with just two of his 11 strikes this season coming outside South London.

Palace’s recent away performances at the Etihad

Palace have shown resilience in recent trips to the Etihad, scoring twice in each of their last four away games there. However, they’ve managed just one win from those encounters (1 win, 1 draw, 2 losses). Their away form this season remains solid, with only Manchester City and Arsenal boasting more victories on the road. Still, Palace have conceded only two draws away from home, highlighting their competitive edge in tough away fixtures.

City, meanwhile, are not just the league’s top scorers (72 goals in 2025/26) but also lead in total passes (20,582) and pass completion rate (89%). They rank second in shots attempted (549), shots on target (193), and conversion rate (18%). Marc Guehi, Palace’s former captain, has made the most passes for City this season with 2,126.

Expect goals before halftime

City’s attacking dominance contrasts sharply with Palace’s struggles. The Eagles rank lowest in pass completion (78%) and second-worst in conversion rate (13%) in the Premier League. The 15 minutes leading up to halftime could be decisive: City have scored 20 goals in this period, while Palace have conceded 17. City have lost just once after taking the lead this season, so Palace must strike early if they hope to salvage a point.

Injury updates ahead of the clash

Crystal Palace will be without Cheick Doucouré and Eddie Nketiah, while Evann Guessand and Borna Sosa face late fitness tests. Manchester City, on the other hand, will be missing Rodri and Josko Gvardiol, with Abdukodir Khusanov also undergoing a last-minute assessment.