Crystal Palace vs Man City

Selhurst Park 14 December - 14:00

Crystal Palace

Manchester City

Recommended tip Win for Man City

1: 3.95 X: 3.80 2: 1.84

1: 4.00 X: 3.75 2: 1.85

1: 3.90 X: 3.90 2: 1.85

#AD, 18+ T&C apply!

Pull up a chair and sharpen your pencils — Sunday’s clash at Selhurst Park is the kind of Premier League theatre that makes pundits’ evenings. Crystal Palace host Man City in a fixture that matters far beyond three points: momentum, psychological edge and a chance for Pep’s side to pile pressure on Arsenal. Palace arrive with query marks after European exertions, while City have looked ruthless of late.

Form, fixtures and fatigue are the talking points. Palace have lost three of their last four matches that followed a European outing, which fires warning shots about their depth. City, conversely, have trimmed the gap to Arsenal and will smell blood. This is a meeting that pits Palace’s counter-attacking bite against City’s machine-like control — perfect fodder for any punter hunting tips and predictions.

If you’re shopping around for value, don’t forget to compare the market — for some excellent comparisons see the top football betting sites — but read on for a proper pundit’s take on the odds, likely line-ups and how this result could shape both sides’ seasons.

Odds and Predictions

The pre-match numbers have City chalked as favourites and for good reason. Current market pricing suggests an away win is the most likely outcome, with the Ladbrokes-style line offering roughly 1.85 for City, 4.00 for a Palace win and about 3.60 for a draw. Those odds imply a clear bias towards Pep’s men — and the implied probabilities back that up.

Odds aside, form and fixture congestion make City attractive. They’ve rattled off wins domestically and in Europe, and their goal machine shows no sign of relenting. Our predictions therefore lean to a narrow City victory: a 2-1 correct score feels right given Palace’s ability to nick chances on the break but also their recent defensive frailties.

For punters hunting a nugget of value, consider alternatives: both teams to score looks appealing given City’s high-scoring trend and Palace’s knack for finding the net even when beaten. The balance between a City win and both teams scoring gives us a tasty middle ground for matchday Tips and a pragmatic betting angle.

Comparison and Statistics

Head to head history adds a psychological layer. Palace haven’t beaten City at Selhurst Park since 2015, which is a long drought for the Eagles and a stat Pep’s lot will enjoy reading. Recent H2H clashes have repeatedly shown City’s dominance — possession battles, expected goals and second-half overloads usually tip in their favour.

Form tables tell a similar story. City have won their last four in all competitions and have seen more than two goals in each of those matches, pointing to an open game once they find rhythm. Palace, meanwhile, have been inconsistent: solid on their day but vulnerable after midweek commitments. Their last five results show mixed fortunes domestically and abroad.

Man City: on a four-game winning run in all competitions.
Crystal Palace: no league win at Selhurst against City since 2015.
Recent City games: over 2.5 goals trending in favour of entertaining affairs.

Digging into numbers — goals scored and conceded — City are still among the league’s most clinical attacks and, crucially, their rotation has been surgical rather than chaotic. Palace’s underlying metrics suggest they can create chances, but their defensive numbers dip when key players are missing or tired.

Expected Line-ups

Selection will be a chess match. Palace boss Oliver Glasner has a dilemma over Ismaila Sarr — fit enough, but minutes may be monitored after an ankle layoff. Glasner is also down several options through injury: Daniel Muñoz, Cheick Doucouré, Chadi Riad, Rio Cardines and Caleb Kporha are unavailable, which forces adjustments across midfield and defence.

Predicted Palace XI (likely):

Henderson (GK)
Richards, Lacroix, Guehi, Clyne
Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell
Pino, Nketiah, Mateta

For City, Guardiola’s rotation policy has been consistent lately — the manager has named the same starting XI in consecutive matches and will be tempted to stick with the winning formula after a big European result. Mateo Kovačić, Rodri and John Stones remain doubt marks in the treatment room, but City have enough quality in depth to cover those absences.

Predicted City XI (likely):

Donnarumma (GK)
Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly
Nico, Reijnders, Cherki
Foden, Doku, Haaland

Tactically, Palace will likely set up compactly and try to hit City on transitions, deploying two up front to stretch the backline. City will control possession, probe down both flanks and wait for Haaland to finish the chances — standard Guardiola, efficient and relentless.

How Will the Season Pan Out

This match is more than three points; it’s a pressure test. A City win tightens the title race and sends a message to Arsenal that the leaders are not invincible. For Palace, taking points here would be a season-defining scalp — confidence that could propel them into mid-table safety and give Glasner’s project real momentum.

Looking further ahead, City’s squad depth makes them favourites for sustained success domestically and in Europe. Palace need to manage fixture congestion carefully — their record after European midweeks is worrying and could become a trend that drags them toward the lower half if not addressed. This clash will reveal whether Palace have the legs and resilience to sustain a push or whether their European adventures will be a millstone.

In short: take City to win, but expect entertainment. Our H2H-informed pundit call is a 2-1 victory for the visitors, a scoreline that reflects City’s firepower and Palace’s counter-attacking threat. For those after a betting angle, the odds offer reasonable value on an away win with both teams finding the net.

Key Stats & Recent Form

Last five Palace results: Shelbourne 0-3 Palace, Fulham 1-2 Palace, Burnley 0-1 Palace, Palace 1-2 Man Utd, Strasbourg 2-1 Palace.
Last five City results: Real Madrid 1-2 City, City 3-0 Sunderland, Fulham 4-5 City, City 3-2 Leeds, City 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen.
Correct score prediction: Crystal Palace 1-2 Man City.

There you have it — a tactically savvy, slightly cheeky pundit verdict. Keep the odds in mind, trust the form, and enjoy the spectacle. For more of our matchday Tips, Predictions and analysis, stay tuned — and don’t forget to shop the markets responsibly.

Written by:

Mark Brown

Chief Statistician

Bio:

Football bores me to tears! I’m not interested in the Rooney’s and Ronaldo’s of the world, but I am interested in betting. With that in mind, I spend hours trawling through the statistics of the football markets and can usually come up with an angle which presents a viable betting opportunity.

Key contributions:

Chief statistician or Stato, as my colleagues like to call me

Personnel betting philosophy or quotes:

“Risk wisely, gain greatly”