Manchester City is set to return to Premier League action on Sunday afternoon as they prepare to visit the in-form Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
City arrives in London following an impressive midweek display, where Pep Guardiola’s team matched up against European giants and familiar foes, Real Madrid. Goals from Nico O’Reilly and Erling Haaland turned the tide after Rodrygo opened the scoring, marking his first goal in 1,415 minutes.
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This victory positions City in the Champions League’s top four heading into week six, smoothing their path to the knockout stages after a recent setback against Bayer Leverkusen. The win also contributes to the growing momentum of a side that seems to gain confidence with each passing match.
Next up is a Crystal Palace team that is performing remarkably well. Managed by Oliver Glasner, they currently sit fourth in the Premier League standings, just four points off the top three, having lost only once in their last five league matches.
Given their current form, Manchester City will need to be cautious about making too many rotations. Last season’s FA Cup final serves as a reminder of the importance of fielding a strong squad. Fatigue was evident among several players against Real Madrid, but any necessary rest this weekend may come in the form of substitutions rather than making wholesale changes to a team in such fine form.
Here’s our prediction for how Manchester City might line up against Crystal Palace this Sunday!
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Predicted XI
In goal, Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to start. The Italian has been consistently impressive, achieving five clean sheets in his 12 Premier League outings. It would take a monumental effort to displace him based on his current form.
Following a standout performance at the Bernabeu, converted midfielder Matheus Nunes is likely to retain his spot at right back.
He led the team in tackles against Real Madrid, and among all players, only Nico Gonzalez (57) completed more passes than Nunes (55). With 99 touches, he showcased his importance to the team.
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With John Stones sidelined and Abdukodir Khusanov struggling to find playing time, a solid pairing of Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol appears to be the best option. The duo has been growing more cohesive each week, highlighted by their impressive display against Real Madrid.
Nico O’Reilly is likely to keep his place in the starting eleven after his crucial equalizer during the European match. Although Rayan Ait-Nouri has performed admirably, the 20-year-old England international has been exceptional and seems undroppable.
With Rodri unavailable again, Nico Gonzalez has firmly established himself in the holding midfield role. Even with the Ballon d’Or winner set to return, he will face a challenge to reclaim his starting position from the talented January 2025 recruit.
No player completed more passes than 23-year-old Nico, who effectively orchestrated the midfield against Real Madrid – a team he knows well from his time at FC Barcelona.
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Phil Foden was substituted in the 70th minute against Real Madrid, a well-deserved rest for the midfield star and a sign of his importance in Guardiola’s plans for this weekend.
He might be paired with Tijjani Reijnders, who replaced him in that match. While it’s a tough decision to bench Bernardo Silva, a lighter workload this week might warrant giving the captain a break after his 90 minutes on Wednesday.
Rayan Cherki impressed against Real Madrid, making his summer transfer feel like a true bargain.
Predicting Guardiola’s selection for the wings can be tricky, especially considering Savinho’s solid performance off the bench. However, Cherki’s substitution in the 70th minute suggests he’ll play a significant role again this weekend.
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Erling Haaland remains a certainty in the starting eleven as long as he is fit. With another Champions League goal to his name, the prolific striker is in peak form.
The left wing is the hardest position to predict this week. Guardiola praised Omar Marmoush for his contributions against Real Madrid, saying the Egyptian forward “helped us a lot when he came on.”
As Marmoush is about to depart for the African Cup of Nations, and Jeremy Doku could use some rest, this Sunday seems like the ideal opportunity to reinstate Marmoush in the starting eleven.
Starting XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Nico, Foden, Reijnders; Cherki, Haaland, Marmoush.
Substitutes: Trafford, Lewis, Khusanov, Ake, Ait-Nouri, Bernardo, Savinho, Doku, Bobb.