Manchester City v Crystal Palace predictions: Eagles deserve respect

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Manchester City v Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday

When to bet

3pm Saturday

Best bet

Both teams to score
1pt 11-10 general

Team news

Man City
Aymeric Laporte is out and Nathan Ake is a doubt. Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips could be fit.

Crystal Palace
Wilfied Zaha is expected to miss out through injury. Jack Butland, James MacArthur and James Tomkins remain on the sidelines.

Match preview

As the one side who twice kept Manchester City at bay last season, Crystal Palace need to be shown some respect before anyone blindly piles into Pep Guardiola's champs at super-skinny odds.

City failed to score in only four league matches last season – two of those were against Palace who have already shown, with a point off Liverpool and comfortable 3-1 success over Villa, that they can ask questions of anyone.

This season's City, however, look even more potent than last term's with Erling Haaland leading a line which has already fired off more shots on target than any of their top-flight rivals – they have had 19 shots on target in their first three matches and scored nine times.

Palace, in fairness, have had 14 shots on target and have the tools in Wilfried Zaha, Ebe Eze, Michael Olise and others to get at a City defence which was stretched to the limit by Newcastle last Sunday.

Even with Zaha expected to miss the game, the Eagles shouldn't leave the Etihad without something to show for their efforts.

Key stat

City have lost just two of their last 54 Premier League games kicking off at 3pm on a Saturday. Both were against Palace.

Inside info

Man City

Penalty taker Erling Haaland
Assist ace Kevin De Bruyne
Set-piece aerial threat Erling Haaland
Card magnet Joao Cancelo

Crystal Palace

Penalty taker Odsonne Edouard/Luka Milivojevic
Assist ace Eberechi Eze
Set-piece aerial threat Joachim Andersen
Card magnet Joel Ward

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