Man. City vs. Crystal Palace – EPL December 2018 Preview and Scores

Match Preview

Manchester City

Man City welcome Crystal Palace to the Etihad Stadium in the the premier league, in what could be an encounter that could leave them four points from the top.

The Citizens are in action the day after current leaders Liverpool play against Wolverhampton Wanderers and have to win this game in order to stand any chance to close in on liverpool as the New year approaches.

Pep Guardiola‘s men have already played against Arsena, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, taking seven points from those fixtures, as well as overcoming rivals Man United on home soil last month.

They have won all nine of their home Premier League matches in 2018-19, scoring 33 goals and leaking just six. Only on five previous occasions has a side started their Prem campaign with 10 successive home league wins, including the Citizens in 2011-12 and 2013-14.

City are also boosted with the return of Kevin DeBruyne and Sergio who were lost to injury.

Manchester City Team News

Sergio Aguero is back from injury and should replace Gabriel Jesus up front, even though the latter scored a brace this last weekend.  Riyadh Mahrez could be benched after starting the last two games.

Raheem Sterling should keep his place in the team while David Silva and Fernandinho is expected to start in midfield. It is too soon to say if Kevin DeBruyne could be started or not.

Sergio Aguero in action for Man City

Crystal Palace

Palace moved three points clear of the dropzone thanks to Luka Milivojevic’s strike against the Leicester, coming on the back of successive away defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United, the latter after taking the lead early on.

That victory eneded their losing run without Wilfried Zaha who is out to injury, and also took some heat away from Roy Hodgson who is being tipped to lose his job soon.

Crystal Palace have languished all season in the bottom half of the table and this game could give them a fighting chance of avoiding relegation.

With games against Chelsea and Cardiff City to come, Hodgson must find answers to his striker problem as the injury of Wilfried Zaha has made things difficult up front.

Crystal Palace Team News

James Tomkins should be recalled and star man Zaha will return to the fold after sitting out the Leicester win through injury.

Cheikhou Kouyate was withdrawn in the match against Leicester and should be fit for this match. Wayne Henessey could be recalled to the starting lineup having relinquished it to his deputy Vicente Guaita who kept a clean sheet last match.

Head To Head

Man City have won 10 of their last 12 Premier League meetings with Palace and are unbeaten in the last six.

Scores

Man City 2 – 3 Crystal Palace

Gundogan 27′

                            Schlupp 33′

                            Townsend 35′

                            Milivojevic 51′

DeBruyne 85′

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