Londoners will try to surprise the favourites again: Crystal Palace vs Manchester City prediction
The second-round Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City will take place on 28 August at Selhurst Park. The hosts began the season with a 2-0 defeat to Everton, while Enzo Maresca's side snatched a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth and will now look to build on their successful start.
Crystal Palace: plenty of chances, but finishing let them down
Pierre Sage's first competitive match in charge ended in disappointment, with Palace conceding once before and once after the break against Everton. However, the result did not fully reflect what happened on the pitch: the London side recorded 1.96 xG compared with Everton's 1.12 and failed to convert four clear-cut chances.
The cost of such wastefulness is now even greater with one of the league's strongest opponents up next. Palace have lost six of their last 10 matches against City and won only once during that run — although that 1-0 victory did bring them the FA Cup in 2025.
Manchester City: victory secured, but consistency still lacking
The beginning of the post-Pep Guardiola era has been nervy: City first lost 3-0 to Arsenal in the Community Shield and then trailed Bournemouth for much of their opening Premier League fixture. Only a Marc Guéhi goal in the 84th minute and a Josko Gvardiol strike in stoppage time allowed Maresca's side to claim a 2-1 victory.
Defence remains a vulnerable area, with Manchester City yet to keep a clean sheet under their new manager. Their away form at the end of last season was also far from ideal, with only two wins in their final five league matches on the road.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Crystal Palace have lost six of their last 10 matches against Manchester City.
- The London side's only victory during that period came in the 2025 FA Cup final — 1-0.
- Manchester City have yet to keep a clean sheet under Enzo Maresca.
The hosts will put up a fight, but the visitors should have enough quality: Crystal Palace vs Manchester City prediction
Despite losing their opening match, Palace created enough chances to believe they can score even against stronger opposition. The problem is that against City, missed opportunities tend to be punished particularly severely.
Maresca's side are still some way from their best form, but their attacking potential remains significantly greater. Even if the hosts manage to score, the visitors should have enough quality to take all three points from a tight contest.
