Crystal Palace will welcome Manchester City to Selhurst Park on Friday evening as two new managers continue adapting to life in the Premier League.
Pierre Sage’s Palace will be looking to recover from their disappointing 2-0 defeat to Everton on the opening weekend. Despite the result, the Eagles created 1.96 expected goals compared to Everton’s 1.12 and missed four big chances, suggesting the scoreline did not fully reflect their performance.
Sage inherited a side that enjoyed historic success under Oliver Glasner, winning both the FA Cup and Conference League. However, the new boss faces an immediate challenge against Manchester City, who Palace have beaten just once in their last 10 meetings. That victory came in the memorable 1-0 FA Cup final triumph in 2025.
Manchester City, meanwhile, secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Bournemouth last weekend. After falling behind, Marc Guehi equalised in the 84th minute before Josko Gvardiol completed the comeback in stoppage time.
Enzo Maresca will demand a more convincing display, particularly after City failed to keep a clean sheet in their opening league fixture. The Citizens also won just two of their final five away league games last season.
Team News
Palace will be without Ismaila Sarr, who continues his recovery from a groin injury, while Chadi Riad remains sidelined with a knee problem. Dwight McNeil and Eddie Nketiah could operate behind Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Manchester City remain without Jeremy Doku due to a calf problem. Phil Foden, Nico O’Reilly and Antoine Semenyo are expected to support Erling Haaland, while Elliot Anderson is doubtful with a thigh issue.
Possible Lineups
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Tomiyasu; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; McNeil, Nketiah; Mateta
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Guehi; Foden, O’Reilly, Semenyo; Haaland
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport Premier League |
| Live Stream | dstv stream |
| Kick-off Time | 20:00pm (WAT) |
Match Prediction
Softfootball predicts Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester City.
