Crystal Palace and Manchester City lock horns for the first time since last season’s FA Cup final when they battle at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles secured their first ever major trophy when they toppled the Cityzens at Wembley in May, Eberechi Eze’s strike sinking the seven-time winners. Pep Guardiola’s men will be keen to exact revenge on Palace this weekend.
City have made significant improvements since FA Cup heartbreak and have re-established themselves as a fearsome force following their summer overhaul. They are within striking distance of table-toppers Arsenal in the Premier League and are fourth in the Champions League league phase table with two games to spare.
They enter Sunday’s fixture in stellar form after four victories on the spin, including an impressive triumph over Real Madrid midweek. Phil Foden and Erling Haaland are firing City to success, even if there remain question marks over their defensive solidity.
Palace will prove challenging foes this weekend and are only five points off their visitors. Three wins on the bounce has rebuilt confidence after back-to-back defeats to Strasbourg and Manchester United, with only Arsenal having lost fewer games than the Eagles in the Premier League this term.
Oliver Glasner’s men are tough to beat but have been surprisingly underwhelming at home. Selhurst Park’s reputation as a fortress has taken a hit after just two victories from seven in the Premier League, with Palace having achieved five more points on the road than on home turf.
Here is Sports Illustrated’s guide to the battle in the capital.
What Time Does Crystal Palace vs. Man City Kick Off?
- Location: London, England
- Stadium: Selhurst Park
- Date: Sunday, Dec. 14
- Kick-off Time: 2 p.m. GMT / 9 a.m. ET / 6 a.m. PT
- Referee: Darren England
- VAR: Matt Donohue
Crystal Palace vs. Man City Head-to-Head Record (Last Five Games)
- Crystal Palace: 1 win
- Man City: 2 wins
- Draws: 2
Current Form (All Competitions)
| Crystal Palace | Man City |
|---|---|
| Shelbourne 0–3 Crystal Palace - 11/12/25 | Real Madrid 1–2 Man City - 10/12/25 |
| Fulham 1–2 Crystal Palace - 07/12/25 | Man City 3–0 Sunderland - 6/12/25 |
| Burnley 0–1 Crystal Palace - 03/12/25 | Fulham 4–5 Man City - 2/12/25 |
| Crystal Palace 1–2 Man Utd - 30/11/25 | Man City 3–2 Leeds - 29/11/25 |
| Strasbourg 2–1 Crystal Palace - 27/11/25 | Man City 0–2 Bayer Leverkusen - 25/11/25 |
How to Watch Crystal Palace vs. Man City on TV, Live Stream
| Country | TV Channel/Live Stream |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Sky Sports Premier League, Sky GO, Sky GO Extra, NOW TV |
| United States | Peacock, NBCSN |
| Canada | DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada, Fubo Sports Network Canada |
| Mexico | Not televised |
Crystal Palace Team News
Palace were without influential wing back Daniel Muñoz for last weekend’s win over Fulham and the Colombian has since undergone knee surgery. He’s looking at a mid-January return and joins Cheick Doucouré, Caleb Kporha and Chadi Riad in the treatment room.
Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaïla Sarr are both doubts for the clash with City, but Glasner was positive about their availability for the game. Palace need their two leading attacking threats at their disposal to disrupt Guardiola’s side.
Nathaniel Clyne looks most likely to replace Muñoz, which could spell trouble against Jérémy Doku, while Yéremy Pino and Eddie Nketiah will fight for an attacking spot alongside Sarr should the Senegal international, who will soon depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, be passed fit.
Crystal Palace Predicted Lineup vs. Man City
Crystal Palace predicted lineup vs. Man City (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi; Clyne, Wharton, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Mateta.
Man City Team News
City will continue without Rodri in the centre of the park, the Ballon d’Or winner having managed just eight appearances in all competitions this term due to injuries. The Spaniard is joined by Mateo Kovačić on the sidelines.
John Stones is another absentee due to a muscle injury and has missed the past two matches. However, he is expected to make his return in the near future.
Guardiola himself missed Friday’s pre-match press conference due to a personal matter, but is expected to be on the touchline in London. He’s unlikely to make too many alterations—if any—from the victory against Madrid.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Crystal Palace
Man City predicted lineup vs. Crystal Palace (4-1-4-1): Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; González; Silva, Cherki, Foden, Doku; Haaland.
Crystal Palace vs. Man City Score Prediction
Palace are never straightforward opposition, but their home record is a cause for concern. They have struggled for victories on home soil and will be hard-pushed to keep City’s formidable forward line under wraps.
Muñoz’s absence is huge, while the potential of playing without Mateta and/or Sarr will worry Glasner.
City are in strong form and have had an extra day to recover from midweek European action. Despite Guardiola’s willingness to rotate, consistency in the XI has been critical to their success in recent weeks and they should name a familiar team at Selhurst Park.
With Haaland, Foden, Doku and Cherki all playing out of their skin, Palace will be expecting defeat.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 0–2 Man City
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Crystal Palace vs. Man City: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.