Here we go- the run in! Manchester City hosts Crystal Palace in the very first match of the next round of Premier League action. City will take on Palace sitting not just one, but places outside of the top four. However, they’re only one point behind fourth place Chelsea (with Newcastle United sandwiched in the middle in fifth), so it’s going to be a fierce battle down the final stretch here.
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace FYIs
Kickoff: Sat April 15, 12:30pm, Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
Premier League Standing: Manchester City 6th, 52 pts, Crystal Palace 11th, 43 points
Google Probability: Manchester City win 63% Draw 20% Crystal Palace win 17%
And it’s worth noting that the race for the top four is the only situation that provides any drama at all during these final few weeks. Relegation and the league title are both already settled.
So the only intrigue we’ll see on Championship Sunday is for the UEFA qualification slots.
Man City Team News vs Crystal Palace
Nothing has changed here, you still have the same five injury absentees. Rodri and Nathan Ake are done for the season while Erling Haaland and John Stones are out until mid-May. Manuel Akanji remains out until the end of the month.
Manchester City Starting Lineup Prediction vs Crystal Palace
Ederson; Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Nico O’Reilly; Ilkay Gundogan, Nico Gonzalez; Savinho, Phil Foden, Jeremy Doku; Omar Marmoush
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.