Crystal Palace take on the visitors Manchester Cityin the round 16 match of English Premier League. The match will be played on Sunday, December 14th at Selhurst Park (London).
Crystal Palace were a stable mid-table side under Hodgson, but over time that level stopped being enough, and the first attempt to replace “Old Roy” with Vieira eventually failed. Oliver, despite a promising start in England, then endured a very difficult previous season. However, the club kept faith in the Austrian coach, and he not only finished 12th in the Premier League but, most importantly, defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final. After the summer break, they also overcame Liverpool in the Community Shield. Now, while competing in the Conference League at the same time — with generally solid performances despite a slip against Shelbourne on Thursday — the London club are pushing for a high position in the Premier League as well. Moreover, victories over Burnley and Fulham have seen them approach this round in fourth place, inside the Champions League zone. Their recent league results underline growing confidence and consistency, especially in matches where they are expected to take control. Strong momentum has turned Selhurst Park into a venue where Palace are increasingly difficult to stop.
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Manchester City are trying to show they are ready to dominate again, but not everything is working perfectly. The Citizens were already a strong side even before Guardiola arrived, but under him they became the undisputed number one force in English football and finally lifted the Champions League trophy. That was followed by a disappointing last season, when they managed to finish reasonably well only in the Premier League, taking third place. This season, despite several high-profile summer signings, there have still been dips in form both domestically and in the Champions League. At the same time, their problems should not be overstated, as overall they are navigating the campaign in a solid and controlled manner. After a heavy win over Sunderland, they moved to within two points of the leaders. This week, against Real Madrid, they conceded first but produced a strong comeback to claim a 2–1 victory. Such results suggest that City are gradually regaining rhythm and belief after uneven spells. Their ability to respond positively after setbacks remains one of their key strengths.
The Citizens have gone seven matches unbeaten in this fixture (four wins and three draws). However, six months ago the London club claimed arguably their biggest victory not only in this matchup but overall, defeating City in the FA Cup final. Manchester City are still expected to take all three points in this match.
Prediction for the match: Manchester City to win.
