Preview: Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini will be without any of his first-team forwards for the visit of Crystal Palace on Saturday lunchtime.

Edin Dzeko has joined Stevan Jovetic and Sergio Aguero on the sidelines, meaning that 18-year-old Jose Angel Pozo could be handed a start at the Etihad Stadium.

Captain Vincent Kompany will be absent due to a recurrence of a hamstring problem, so Martin Demichelis will partner Eliaquim Mangala in the centre of defence.

City welcome Palace having won their last five matches in the Premier League, and a sixth will be enough to take them level on points with leaders Chelsea.

Neil Warnock takes his Eagles squad to the North-West with the club sitting just outside of the relegation zone in the standings.

After registering an impressive triumph over Liverpool, Palace have gone four games without a win and a fifth could result in them ending the weekend in the bottom three.

Striker Marouane Chamakh misses out through injury, but Adrian Mariappa is in contention after returning to training this week.

Manchester City:

Form in Premier League: DWWWWW Form in all competitions: WWWWWW

Possible starting lineup: Hart; Sagna, Demichelis, Mangala, Clichy; Toure, Fernando, Nasri, Lampard, Silva; Pozo

Crystal Palace:

Recent form: LWDLDD

Possible starting lineup: Speroni, Kelly, Hangeland, Dann, Ward, Jedinak, McArthur, Ledley, Bolasie, Zaha, Gayle

Sports Mole says: 4-1