As the 17th round begins, Manchester City sits in fourth place in the league table. This is certainly not the result that fans and management were expecting, especially considering the recent leadership position. Over the last five rounds, they’ve only managed to gather six points, leading to their recent setbacks. There is some optimism as in the previous match, under Pep Guardiola’s guidance, they ended a four-game winless streak by defeating Luton Town 2-1. However, this victory was not overly convincing. Earlier in the week, Manchester City won the final Champions League match against Red Star (3-2) and will advance to the playoffs in the spring. Notably, they scored 18 goals in the group stage, the best among all participants. However, defensive issues persist, with the reigning champions conceding in seven consecutive matches across all competitions. Kevin De Bruyne remains sidelined due to injury. Additionally, the participation of forwards Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku is uncertain due to injuries.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, enters the 17th round in 15th place in the table. The team has noticeably slowed down, failing to secure a victory in the last five matches, earning only one point. Despite this, they consistently challenged their opponents, never losing by a margin greater than two goals in all the unsuccessful matches. Throughout the season, Roy Hodgson’s team has performed convincingly in away matches, accumulating 11 out of 16 points on the road. Playing as the second option on counterattacks suits them well. The absence of forward Jordan Ayew, due to suspension, will be a significant setback for Crystal Palace. Additionally, midfielders Jairo Riedewald and Cheikhou Kouyat?, along with goalkeeper Dean Henderson, will also miss the game.
