Top-of-the-table Manchester City make the trip to Crystal Palace on Saturday hoping to extend what has proven to be a rip-roaring start to the Premier League season.
Victory is anything but a foregone conclusion, however, as the high-flying Eagles look to topple another English superpower after beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last time out to move second.
Crystal Palace
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Given the fact that only Arsenal have taken points off Crystal Palace so far this season, it could be said that Alan Pardew looks on course to build on the solid foundations he laid in the second half of last season.
The Londoners negotiated a tricky visit to newly-promoted Norwich City on the first day of the campaign, emerging with a 3-1 win, before a 2-1 defeat to the Gunners eight days later at Selhurst Park stunted them ever so slightly.
Nevertheless, Pardew's side have come back swinging in a run of form that has lifted them to second in the Premier League table.
First, Bakary Sako marked his debut with a late winner in the 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man scoring again as Palace defied the odds by beating Chelsea by the same scoreline to ride the crest of a wave into the international break.
Their stunning early-season form should come as little surprise, with the 54-year-old manager - who was only appointed in January - masterminding a host of impressive victories during his first six months in charge of the London club. This kind of start was on the cards.
Arguably their flagship win last season was, in fact, a 2-1 win over Manchester City in April - a result that effectively hammered home the final coffin nail in the Citizens' Premier League title chances.
As a result, Palace may be wary of the revenge element, but even still Pardew's men will bring a nothing-to-lose mentality with them on Saturday. They are not expected to win, but few can be surprised if that outcome materialises.
Recent form: WLWW
Recent form (all competitions): WLWWW
Manchester City
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Four games, four wins. Ten scored, zero conceded. It has been an immaculate start to the Premier League season for Manchester City and they look to have learnt the harsh lesson taught to them by Chelsea last season.
Even after their first five games of the 2014-15 campaign, Manuel Pellegrini's side already have four more points this time around. A lacklustre start undermined their title defence last term and so far they look a team determined to reclaim their crown.
Having swept aside each and every team that has faced them thus far, Pellegrini and co have strung together a run of form that is certain to have Blues boss Jose Mourinho worried, especially with his own team stuttering.
The Sky Blues already boast an eight-point advantage over the reigning champions, who were thumped 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium last month. It could, and should, have been by a far bigger margin.
Despite already facing Chelsea, though, a visit to in-form Crystal Palace arguably represents their biggest test of the season. There are plenty other grounds aside from Selhurst Park which the Chilean manager would prefer to visit this weekend.
Still, man for man, the Citizens have more than enough quality to extend their high-flying start, with the likes of Raheem Sterling, David Silva and Yaya Toure all enjoying excellent starts to the season - and they needed to.
With just one goal under his belt so far, striker Sergio Aguero is yet to set the 2015-16 season alight. If and when he hits form, coupled with the addition of £55m man Kevin De Bruyne, the worrying thought from their rivals' perspective is that City will only get better.
Recent form: WWWW
Team News
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Pardew confirmed that right-back Joel Ward could be out for up to a month after suffering an unspecified injury in training today.
Club-record signing Yohan Cabaye was a half-time substitute in France's 1-0 win over Portugal, but the Palace boss said that the Frenchman trained this afternoon.
Meanwhile, Marouane Chamakh remains sidelined with an abductor problem.
For City, Silva is expected to miss out with an ankle problem, while midfielder Fabian Delph could be absent for up to six weeks with a hamstring injury.
Right-back Bacary Sagna, who had been deputising for the already-injured Pablo Zabaleta, will sit out the trip to London with an ankle problem.
As a result, Pellegrini will have to decide whether to give new boy Nicolas Otamendi his debut in an unfamiliar position, or promote rookie Pablo Maffeo - named on the bench for the 2-0 win over Watford last time out - to first-team action.
Elsewhere, midfielder Fabian Delph is also expected to miss out after damaging his hamstring in England's 2-0 win over Switzerland, while it remains to be seen if Fernando is fit again.
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
McCarthy: Mutch, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Sako, Puncheon, McArthur, Cabaye, Zaha; Wickham
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Hart; Otamendi, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov; Fernandinho, Toure; Sterling, De Bruyne, Silva; Aguero
Head To Head
Last season's 2-1 win at Selhurst Park was Crystal Palace's first victory over City in 14 years, with the Citizens enjoying a seven-match winning streak prior to that. This is a fixture that has not been drawn since March 2000, when both sides were in the Championship.
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Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:
We say: Crystal Palace 1-1 Manchester City
By virtue of the fact that his Newcastle United and Crystal Palace teams have beaten Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea twice over the last 12 months, it could be argued that Pardew is the man for a giant-killing. Saturday offers another chance for him to prove his credentials when it comes to stunning England's elite and we reckon that it will be City's toughest test of the season - one that they will squeeze through.
Shane Callaghan
