Haaland Eyes Golden Boot Glory as Man City Unleash Star-Studded XI Against Crystal Palace
Manchester City maintain their pursuit to regain their Premier League title as they travel to face Crystal Palace this Sunday afternoon.
Pep Guardiola's squad narrowed the distance to the top spot last weekend by taking advantage of an uncommon Arsenal mistake, while their midweek triumph over European record holders Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu has further elevated their confidence.
Defeating Palace to secure a fifth consecutive win won't be straightforward—as City learned during last season's FA Cup final—but Guardiola's abundance of offensive talent should theoretically possess the required strength to overwhelm their opponents.
Here's how City might set up in the capital.
Man City Predicted Lineup vs. Crystal Palace (4-1-4-1)
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—Donnarumma has achieved five clean sheets in the Premier League this campaign and will be determined to secure a sixth against a Palace team that lacks scoring prowess.
RB: Matheus Nunes—Nunes had difficulties dealing with Vinicius Junior's threat during midweek and will be relieved to face a less challenging test against Palace. Tyrick Mitchell will pose some danger with his overlapping runs, but this should be a more manageable assignment for the Portuguese defender.
CB: Rúben Dias—Should Jean-Philippe Mateta be available to start despite injury concerns, Dias must deliver his commanding best to contain Palace's physical striker. Only Erling Haaland (15) and Igor Thiago (11) have netted more than Mateta's seven Premier League goals.
CB: Joško Gvardiol—Gvardiol must remain equally vigilant to stop Mateta. The Croatian defender showed strong form against Madrid's explosive attackers midweek after overcoming an uncertain beginning.
LB: Nico O'Reilly—O'Reilly might benefit from some rest, as Guardiola previously suggested, but the English player is performing too well to be benched currently. He found the net against Madrid, bringing his season's goal contributions to six.
DM: Nico González—While he's certainly not Rodri, González represents City's finest option in defensive midfield at present. The Spanish player will be crucial in containing Palace's attacking midfielders, particularly keeping close watch on Ismaïla Sarr if he's declared fit.
RM: Bernardo Silva—Silva endured a difficult match against Madrid despite typically excelling in such fixtures, but the Portuguese midfielder remains a trusted Guardiola selection. He should feature on the right flank ahead of the more attack-minded Oscar Bobb and Savinho.
CM: Rayan Cherki—Tijjani Reijnders faces significant competition following Cherki's excellent recent performances. After delivering a spectacular rabona assist last weekend, he maintained his composure against Madrid.
CM: Phil Foden—Foden's goal-scoring run ended at the Bernabéu following five strikes in his previous three appearances, but Palace will find it difficult to silence the England midfielder. Remarkably, he's yet to score in eight previous encounters with the Eagles.
LM: Jérémy Doku—Doku is in excellent form currently and will benefit from Daniel Muñoz's absence this weekend. The 34-year-old Nathaniel Clyne appears likely to face City's rapid winger.
ST: Erling Haaland—Six goals across five matches against Palace represents an excellent record, with only the FA Cup final resulting in a goalless performance against the Eagles. He scored in this same fixture last season and appears poised to enhance his remarkable Premier League goal tally.
