They're eager for a win against Palace, especially after letting a two-goal lead slip in their previous match at the Etihad Stadium in December, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Oliver Glasner, who took over as Crystal Palace's manager in February, has secured five points from his first five Premier League games, with a win against Burnley and a couple of draws.
Although Palace has only won two league matches since the start of the year, they're currently sitting 14th in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone, with promising prospects of remaining in the top flight for the 12th consecutive season.
At Selhurst Park, Palace has shown improvement, gaining 10 points in their last five fixtures. However, they've struggled to score against Manchester City in recent encounters at home, failing to find the net in their last four meetings.
Meanwhile, Manchester City comes into this game with high spirits after a convincing 4-1 victory over Aston Villa. They're on an unbeaten run of 15 games in the Premier League but are still trailing behind Arsenal and Liverpool in the table.
Despite their defensive struggles in London, Manchester City has a good track record against Crystal Palace, having not lost any of their last eight Premier League away games against them.
A win for Manchester City this Saturday would not only boost their chances for the Premier League title but also uplift their morale before their crucial Champions League quarter-final match against Real Madrid next Tuesday.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Crystal Palace's defense took a hit as Chris Richards missed the recent loss to Bournemouth due to a knee injury, adding to a list of sidelined players including Sam Johnstone, Cheick Doucoure, Marc Guehi, Rob Holding, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi, and Matheus Franca due to various injuries.However, there's a glimmer of hope as star winger Michael Olise, out since early February with a thigh issue, has returned to training. While a start may be unlikely, he could feature in the matchday squad. Jefferson Lerma filled in as a left-sided center-back in Richards' absence and is expected to continue in that role alongside Joachim Andersen and Joel Ward. Will Hughes and Adam Wharton are likely to partner in midfield.
On the Manchester City side, defenders Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake are expected to miss out due to hamstring and unspecified injuries respectively, while goalkeeper Ederson is doubtful due to a muscle problem.
John Stones, who has been on the bench in the last two games, might see some action against Palace, although a starting position seems improbable. The defensive lineup of Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, and Josko Gvardiol may remain unchanged.
Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, both rested in the previous game, could return to the starting lineup. De Bruyne particularly has a good record against Palace, scoring four goals in their previous encounters. However, he comes into this game after a dry spell, having failed to score in 12 of his last 17 appearances for club and country.
POSSIBLE LINE-UP
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:Henderson; Ward, Andersen, Lerma; Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Ayew, Mateta, Eze
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri; Bernardo, De Bruyne, Foden, Doku; Haaland
EXPERT PREDICTION
Crystal Palace 2-4 Manchester City
While Crystal Palace has found it tough to score against Manchester City in recent home matches, they've often given City a hard time at Selhurst Park. This time, Palace can feel hopeful about breaking through City's defense, given that Guardiola's team has managed just three clean sheets in 14 away games this season.
However, keeping City's attack at bay could be a tough task for Palace, especially with their defensive lineup being makeshift due to injuries. City, who have scored in their last 11 away games, are likely to take advantage of this situation and secure maximum points without much trouble.
