Manchester City host Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, 13 May 2026, in a rearranged Premier League Matchweek 31 fixture that could have a major influence on the title race. Pep Guardiola’s side go into the game second with 74 points from 35 matches, five behind Arsenal, who have played one game more. Victory would cut Arsenal’s advantage back to two points with two league games remaining for both clubs.
Crystal Palace arrive in Manchester on the 14th with 44 points from 35 matches. The Eagles are already mathematically safe from relegation, with West Ham unable to catch their points total after the results on 10 and 11 May. Their league season has been inconsistent, but Oliver Glasner’s side have reached the UEFA Conference League final and possess one of the stronger away records in the division.
The fixture also carries an interesting personal storyline, with former Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi now a Manchester City player after completing a January move to the Etihad.
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Manchester City vs Crystal Palace Head-to-Head Summary
Manchester City have had the better of this fixture in the Premier League era. Before Wednesday’s game, the clubs had met 31 times in the competition, with City winning 19 and Palace winning four. Guardiola’s side are also unbeaten in their last eight Premier League meetings with Palace, winning five and drawing three since the Eagles’ memorable 2-0 victory at the Etihad in October 2021.
Looking at their last 10 competitive meetings in all competitions, the record is:
Manchester City wins: 5
Crystal Palace wins: 2
Draws: 3
Manchester City goals: 21
Crystal Palace goals: 13
Total goals: 34
Average goals per match: 3.4
City have clearly enjoyed the stronger record, although Palace’s 1-0 victory in the 2025 FA Cup final remains an important reminder that the Eagles are capable of frustrating Guardiola’s side. Palace won that Wembley final through Eberechi Eze’s first-half goal to claim the first major trophy in the club’s history.
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace Last 10 Matches
The last 10 competitive meetings before this fixture are:
14 December 2025: Crystal Palace 0-3 Manchester City – Premier League
17 May 2025: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City – FA Cup final
12 April 2025: Manchester City 5-2 Crystal Palace – Premier League
7 December 2024: Crystal Palace 2-2 Manchester City – Premier League
6 April 2024: Crystal Palace 2-4 Manchester City – Premier League
16 December 2023: Manchester City 2-2 Crystal Palace – Premier League
11 March 2023: Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester City – Premier League
27 August 2022: Manchester City 4-2 Crystal Palace – Premier League
14 March 2022: Crystal Palace 0-0 Manchester City – Premier League
30 October 2021: Manchester City 0-2 Crystal Palace – Premier League
These results produce the 5-2-3 record and 21-13 goal advantage for Manchester City across the last 10 competitive encounters. The reverse league fixture this season ended 3-0 to City at Selhurst Park. Palace created several dangerous chances and hit the woodwork through Yeremy Pino and Adam Wharton, but City were far more clinical. Erling Haaland scored twice, including a late penalty, while Phil Foden added the other goal.
Manchester City Current Form
Manchester City come into the match with momentum. Their 3-0 home victory over Brentford on 9 May moved them onto 74 points and kept the title race alive. Jeremy Doku, Haaland and Omar Marmoush scored as City eventually broke down a stubborn Brentford side in the second half.
The result was particularly important after City dropped two points in a dramatic 3-3 draw away to Everton five days earlier. City had been pushed towards defeat before Doku’s stoppage-time equaliser rescued a point, but the draw left Guardiola’s team dependent on Arsenal dropping points during the run-in.
City’s broader form remains strong. They have been unbeaten in the Premier League since mid-January, while the Brentford victory took their unbeaten run across all competitions to eight matches. That resurgence has kept them within touching distance of Arsenal despite an uneven period earlier in the campaign.
Haaland remains their biggest attacking threat. His goal against Brentford was his 26th Premier League strike of the season, and his ability to turn limited opportunities into goals could again be crucial against a Palace defence that is likely to spend long spells without the ball.
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Crystal Palace Current Form
Crystal Palace’s league form has been less convincing. The Eagles have gone four Premier League matches without a victory and sit 14th with 44 points. Their latest league outing ended in a 2-2 draw away to Everton.
Their position does not tell the whole story, however. Palace have won seven away league matches this season, with only Arsenal and Manchester City recording more away victories before this fixture. That gives Glasner’s side genuine reason to believe they can make the trip to the Etihad competitive.
Palace’s biggest problem has been converting chances. They have scored 38 Premier League goals despite creating chances worth approximately 54.8 expected goals. Jean-Philippe Mateta leads the team with 11 league goals, while Ismaila Sarr has eight. Defensively, however, Palace have been considerably more reliable, conceding 44 times.
Home and Away Analysis
Manchester City will expect to spend long periods in control at the Etihad. Their 3-0 victory over Brentford showed how difficult they can be to contain once they establish sustained pressure, and the title situation gives them every reason to approach Wednesday’s match aggressively.
Palace, though, are well suited to playing away from Selhurst Park. Their seven away victories suggest they are comfortable allowing opponents to have possession before looking for opportunities to break forward. City may therefore need patience if Glasner’s side settle into a compact defensive shape.
Tactical Matchup and Style of Play
Manchester City will be expected to dominate possession, move Palace from side to side and create space for Haaland and the attacking players around him. Doku’s recent form gives Guardiola a dangerous one-on-one option, while Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden and Marmoush provide different types of threat behind the striker.
Palace have used a 3-4-3 for most of the season. Daniel Muñoz and Tyrick Mitchell provide the width from wing-back, while Adam Wharton, Will Hughes, Jefferson Lerma and Daichi Kamada give Glasner several midfield options. Yeremy Pino and Sarr can operate around either Mateta or Jørgen Strand Larsen in attack.
Set pieces could also play an important role. Palace have scored 18 league goals from dead-ball situations, but they have also conceded 21 goals from set pieces. That makes corners and free kicks an area City can target while also giving Palace another route to threatening Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal.
Manchester City Team Injuries and News
The main fitness concerns for Manchester City are Rodri and Abdukodir Khusanov. Guardiola confirmed on 12 May that both players were improving but said their availability would be decided after the team’s final training session.
Rodri has been unavailable since suffering a muscle problem during City’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal in April. Khusanov picked up a knock in the 3-3 draw with Everton and subsequently missed the Brentford victory.
There was also encouragement around Josko Gvardiol, who was involved in City’s final training session ahead of the Palace game after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Guardiola nevertheless has another factor to consider when selecting his team: City face Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday before travelling to Bournemouth three days later, making some squad rotation possible.
Crystal Palace Team Injuries and News
Crystal Palace will be without Eddie Nketiah, Cheick Doucouré, Evann Guessand and Borna Sosa for the trip to Manchester. Glasner still has important attacking options available, including Mateta, Sarr and Pino, while Dean Henderson remains a key figure in goal. The Eagles should also be able to approach the game without the pressure of a relegation battle hanging over them.
Palace have 44 points, while West Ham entered the final two matches on 36 points following Tottenham’s 1-1 draw with Leeds on 11 May. That leaves West Ham unable to reach Palace’s total, confirming the Eagles’ Premier League safety before their trip to Manchester. Their attention can therefore turn towards finishing the league season positively and building momentum ahead of their UEFA Conference League final later in May.
Players to Watch
Erling Haaland is the obvious danger for Manchester City. His 26 league goals underline his importance, and he scored twice against Palace in the reverse fixture. Preventing City from repeatedly finding him inside the penalty area will be one of Glasner’s most important defensive tasks.
Jeremy Doku is another player in strong form after scoring against both Everton and Brentford. His direct dribbling could be particularly useful if Palace defend with five players across the back and attempt to close central spaces.
For Palace, Mateta provides the main goal threat with 11 Premier League goals, while Sarr’s pace could become important whenever the visitors recover possession and counterattack. Palace may not see much of the ball, so the quality of those transitional moments could determine whether they can seriously trouble City.
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace: Who is the Favourite to Win?
Manchester City are the clear favourites, but Palace’s recent history against them means this should not automatically be considered a routine home victory. The Eagles beat City in last season’s FA Cup final, have produced notable results at the Etihad in recent years and possess one of the strongest away records outside the Premier League’s leading sides.
Even so, the circumstances favour Guardiola’s team. City are unbeaten in the league since January, have just beaten Brentford 3-0 and know they must continue winning to keep pressure on Arsenal. Palace, meanwhile, are without a league victory in four matches and have struggled to convert the chances they create.
The main uncertainty is how much Guardiola rotates with the FA Cup final only three days away. City’s squad depth should still leave them with enough attacking quality to control the match, while an early goal would make Palace’s defensive plan much more difficult to maintain.