Manchester City's bid to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League this season will continue when they welcome Crystal Palace to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Man City currently sit fourth in the table on 66 points, but they are just one point clear of fifth-placed Manchester United, and will welcome a Palace side who are not yet mathematically safe from relegation.
Man City
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Nineteen wins, nine draws and six defeats is Man City's record from 34 matches of the 2016-17 Premier League campaign, and a total of 66 points has left them down in fourth position, some 15 points behind league leaders Chelsea.
Pep Guardiola had been expected to lead a challenge for the Premier League title after taking charge last summer, but there have been teething problems for the Spaniard at the Etihad, and the club face a battle from fifth-placed Man United and sixth-placed Arsenal to secure a Champions League finish in England's top flight.
Man City have actually only won two of their last eight Premier League matches, and will enter this weekend's clash with Palace off the back of successive draws against Man United and Middlesbrough.
A 0-0 draw with their Manchester rivals on April 27 was not the worst result in the world, but Guardiola will have been disappointed with a 2-2 draw against a Middlesbrough team who have really struggled throughout the 2016-17 campaign.
Man City have the second-best away record in the Premier League this season, but they have only won eight of their 16 league fixtures at the Etihad – drawing seven times in the process. They have also only scored 27 times on home soil in the league this term, which is an indication of their troubles.
What's more, over the last 10 Premier League games, Palace (19) have actually won more points than Man City (17). Guardiola will be given time to make his mark with the Citizens, but there is no question that the former Bayern Munich manager has found things tough in England.
A top-four finish is still in Man City's hands this season, however, and the former English champions will be confident of gaining enough points in their final four matches against Palace (H), Leicester City (H), West Bromwich Albion (H) and Watford (A).
Recent form: DLWWDD
Recent form (all competitions): LWWLDD
Crystal Palace
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Between April 10 and April 13, Sam Allardyce's Palace collected seven points from three Premier League matches against Arsenal, Leicester and Liverpool, which led to the Eagles looking up the table rather than towards the bottom three.
Indeed, a 2-1 victory at Liverpool on April 23 was an indication of Palace's improvement under Allardyce, but they will enter this weekend's clash at the Etihad off the back of home defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley.
A total of 38 points has left Palace in 16th position in the table – six points clear of 18th-placed Swansea City approaching the final weeks of the campaign. They are still not safe from the threat of relegation, and another loss on Saturday would leave the Eagles looking over their shoulder once again.
Only Sunderland (14) have collected fewer home points than Palace (17) in the Premier League this season, but the London outfit have been impressive on their travels – picking up 21 points, which is just three fewer than Arsenal.
Indeed, Palace won at both Chelsea and Liverpool in the Premier League last month, and there is no question that the team's counter-attacking abilities are more suited to away fixtures, rather than matches at home, which almost force them to become the dominant side in possession.
It would take some turnaround for Palace to be relegated from this position, but defeat this weekend would leave them vulnerable ahead of what is shaping up to be a massive game at home to Hull City on May 14.
Allardyce's side then face a trip to Man United on the final weekend of the season, and three defeats could well see them drop out of the top flight.
Recent form: LWDWLL
Team News
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Man City are expected to be without the services of Sergio Aguero, who picked up a groin injury against Middlesbrough last time out.
David Silva is also still struggling with a knee problem, while Claudio Bravo remains on the sidelines with a calf strain, meaning that Wilfredo Caballero will continue between the sticks.
John Stones and Yaya Toure are both pushing for recalls after sitting out the clash with Middlesbrough, while Jesus Navas could be given the nod at right-back once again due to Bacary Sagna's injury struggles.
As for Palace, on-loan Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho is out with knee ligament damage, while injuries to James Tomkins and Scott Dann mean that Allardyce remains short in central defence.
As a result, Martin Kelly is expected to be given the nod at centre-back once again, while the front three should remain unchanged as Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend support Christian Benteke once again.
Yohan Cabaye is also back in contention after missing the clash with Burnley due to a knock.
Man City possible starting lineup:
Caballero; Navas, Stones, Kompany, Kolarov; Toure, Fernandinho; Sane, De Bruyne, Sterling; Jesus
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Hennessey; Ward, Kelly, Delaney, Van Aanholt; Cabaye, Milivojevic, Puncheon; Zaha, Benteke, Townsend
Head To Head
Man City have won eight of their last nine Premier League games against Palace, suffering just one defeat – 2-1 at Selhurst Park in April 2015, and the Citizens are unbeaten in six home games against Palace in the top flight.
What's more, Palace have not kept a clean sheet against Man City in the Premier League since May 1993, while the London outfit have not scored on any of their previous three trips to the Etihad in the Premier League.
Goals from Raheem Sterling, Sane and Toure saw Man City run out 3-0 winners at Selhurst Park in the reverse match earlier this season, and their last Premier League meeting at the Etihad ended in a 4-0 home win last January.
We say: Man City 2-0 Crystal Palace
Man City have not exactly been flying at home this season, while Palace won away at both Chelsea and Liverpool last month. Guardiola's side are due a positive result, however, and we are backing the Citizens to record a comfortable three points against travelling Palace this weekend.
Matt Law
