Manchester City travel to Crystal Palace in their second English Premier League match of the 2026/27 season on Friday night.
Enzo Maresca’s new-look side are looking to build momentum under their new manager after a 2-1 comeback win against Bournemouth last weekend.
Palace, meanwhile, will be looking to make home advantage count against one of the title contenders after an unsettled summer that has seen significant transfer activity.
The Eagles were not so fortunate in their opening fixture, losing 2-0 away at Everton, leaving them in 17th place.
Despite the changes to the squad and coaching staff, City still have a significant advantage in individual quality and are favorites ahead of kick off.
Palace did beat City 1-0 in the FA Cup final last season, but have not mustered a win against them in the league since 2021.
We have a look at both teams ahead of the Friday night match and offer our predicted outcome.
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What time does Palace vs Man City start?
The match kicks off at 10PM E.A.T at Selhurst Park
Palace vs Man City team news
The hosts have brought in Axel Disasi on loan from Chelsea following Maxence Lacroix’s departure, he is set to start here.
There is also uncertainty surrounding some of Palace’s attacking and wide players, with transfer interest in both Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr.
Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada are both also expected to start in their respective midfield roles, with the rest of the side remaining unchanged.
As for City, Erling Haaland was far from his best against the Cherries but the Norwegian forward will lead the attacking line here.
Rayan Cherki came off the bench to provide the assist for the winning goal and this may earn him a spot in the starting XI here.
That is the only change expected from Maresca, with Antoine Semenyo, Phil Foden and Nico O’Reilly starting in midfield as well.
Palace vs Man City head-to-head and current form
The Eagles have lost back-to-back games ahead of this match, making them desperate to earn at least a point here.
They face a City side who are seeking a second straight win, to make it three in their last five outings. Maresca’s side completed the double over Palace last season in a pair of similar 3-0 wins.
There have been two draws in the last five games between these two teams, with Palace managing just one win in the FA Cup.
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Current form:
Palace – LLWWW
Man City – WLWWL
Palace vs Man City previous games
- Man City 3-0 Palace (May 13, 2026)
- Palace 0-3 Man City (December 14, 2025)
- Palace 1-0 Man City (May 17, 2025)
- Man City 5-2 Palace (April 12, 2025)
- Palace 2-2 Man City (December 7, 2024)
Palace vs Man City prediction
This should be a much tougher test for Manchester City than their home opener against Bournemouth.
Selhurst Park is an intimidating venue, and Palace have the pace to exploit the spaces behind City’s defence.
However, City’s superior individual quality should eventually tell and their recent league dominance over their opponents give them an edge.
Prediction – Both teams to score – PLACE YOUR BET FOR THIS GAME HERE!