While mathematically possible for Arsenal to still close the gap at the top, the Gunners would need to lose both of their remaining fixtures against already-relegated Burnley and Crystal Palace, while Manchester City would also have to secure victories against Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
city remain unbeaten at home in league since august
Pep Guardiola’s side has not lost a single home Premier League match since August, despite a FA Cup final defeat to Palace last season. The Citizens have dominated their London rivals in league encounters over the past three years, winning five and drawing three of their last eight meetings since October 2021.
City has also been unbeaten at the Etihad Stadium in the 2025/26 campaign, with their last domestic loss at home coming against Tottenham Hotspur in August. Since that setback, they have started every league game at home by finding the net first, putting Palace under immediate pressure to match their intensity.
haaland targets another milestone against palace
Erling Haaland has scored in each of his five Premier League appearances against Crystal Palace while wearing the City shirt, a streak that highlights his clinical edge against the South London side.
Only Mohamed Salah and Raheem Sterling have managed to net in each of their first six league meetings with the same opponent, both achieving the feat against Bournemouth.
Jérémy Doku, another player in scintillating form, has contributed five goals and two assists in his last six outings—matching his combined output of one goal and six assists in his previous 24 appearances for the club.
The Eagles will rely on their attacking talents to trouble the hosts. Ismaila Sarr has netted nine times in his last ten starts for the club, while his 20 league goals this season mark the highest tally by a Palace player since Glenn Murray achieved the same feat in 2012/13.
Jean-Philippe Mateta could etch his name into the club’s history books if he finds the net, as a goal would make him only the second Crystal Palace player—after Wilfried Zaha—to reach 50 Premier League goals for the club. Notably, 32 of his 49 career league strikes have come at Selhurst Park, with just two of his 11 goals this season arriving away from home.
palace’s away resilience at the etihad
Crystal Palace has shown recent resilience in away fixtures at the Etihad, scoring twice in each of their last four visits. However, they managed just one win from those four encounters (1W, 1D, 2L).
The Eagles have also been one of the most consistent away sides this season, with only Manchester City and Arsenal boasting more victories on the road. Their away record includes just two draws outside of Selhurst Park.
city’s dominance extends beyond goals
Manchester City leads the Premier League in 2025/26 with 72 goals scored, alongside top rankings in total passes (20,582) and pass success rate (89%). They also rank second in total shots (549), shots on target (193), and conversion rate (18%).
Marc Guehi, the former Palace captain, has made the most passes for City this season with 2,126.
early goals likely as palace struggles with possession
In stark contrast, Palace ranks lowest in the league for pass success rate (78%) and conversion rate (13%), the second-worst in the top flight. The visitors have conceded the most goals in the final 15 minutes before half-time (17), while City has netted the most during the same period (20).
Given that City has lost only once after taking the lead this season, Palace must start strongly if they hope to salvage a point from Manchester.
injury updates ahead of the clash
Crystal Palace will be without Cheick Doucouré and Eddie Nketiah, while Evann Guessand and Borna Sosa are awaiting late fitness tests.
Manchester City could be missing Rodri and Josko Gvardiol, with Abdukodir Khusanov also undergoing a last-minute assessment.