Manchester City have received a boost in their Premier League title pursuit after Oliver Glasner played down fears that Crystal Palace will field a weakened side in their decisive final fixture against Arsenal.
Manchester City return to the Etihad knowing there is no more room for mistakes as they host Crystal Palace in a decisive Premier League clash. City must win their remaining matches to stay in contention and rely on Arsenal dropping points. Concerns had emerged that Palace could prioritize their upcoming Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano, scheduled just days after the league finale.
However, Softfootball gathered that Glasner firmly rejected suggestions that his team selection would be influenced by the title race. Speaking in a recent interview posted by the club on their official YouTube channel, ahead of Palace’s clash with City, he stressed that his responsibility lies solely with his own club, dismissing any notion of external influence.
The Palace boss also downplayed his side’s potential impact on the title outcome, humorously noting that VAR decisions could prove more decisive. He added that squad rotation is a normal necessity given the demanding schedule, rather than a tactic linked to aiding or hindering title contenders.
He said:
After your question I had a look at my payslip to see if we get some money from Arsenal or City. I couldn’t find it. I’m responsible for Crystal Palace, not for Arsenal and for City. I just got the confirmation. We always think what is best for us. This is my responsibility. Our influence on the title race will definitely be less than VAR.
With this amount of games, playing every three days, we always rotated. It’s just necessary in such a long season. In the last league game, against Everton, in every physical data in the Premier League we were top three. Just playing three days after [the Conference League semi-final second leg against] Shakhtar Donetsk with more or less the same team.
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Glasner further pointed to his team’s strong physical performance metrics, highlighting their ability to compete consistently even during congested fixture periods.
Real Madrid will aim to restore pride after a disappointing week when they host already-relegated Real Oviedo at the Santiago Bernabéu on Thursday 14th May 2026 in La Liga matchday 36.
