Crystal Palace Could Put A Big Spoke In Manchester City’s Seemingly Unstoppable Quest For A Quadruple And Do Something That Only One Other Premier League Team Can Achieve This Season!
By: Marc Gingell
Just before Christmas Crystal Palace surprised the Premier League world when they beat Manchester City 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium. Their third, and what turned out to be the winning goal, came from a Luka Milivojevic penalty after Kyle Walker’s rash tackle on Max Meyer. Yes. This was the Meyer and Milivojevic combo instead of the usual Wilfried Zaha and Milivojevic double act.
Palace Double?
On the subject of doubles that is was Palace can achieve if they manage to beat Manchester City at Selhurst Park. On the negative side of that Palace’s home form is appalling and would see them relegated. Only Huddersfield are worse on their home patch. But this is a big game and Palace could get that double.
Just imagine Zaha, attacking Walker in the City box in the last 15 minutes, what are the chances of Walker bringing him down and Milivojevic firing the match winner from the spot again? Does lightening strike twice!
Leicester City will also have the opportunity of a Manchester City double on May 4th.
Match Details
| 14/4/2019 | Selhurst Park | Crystal Palace (12) | Manchester City (2) | |
| KO:14:05 | REF: M Atkinson | |||
Crystal Palace Team News
- Unknown return date: Mamadou Sakho Knee injury. James Tomkins Groin Injury
Roy Hodgson Comments
“No team is unbeatable. No team poses a threat you couldn’t possibly deal with but everyone understands what a good side they are and their attacking talents. They’re one of the best teams in my opinion in and around the penalty area.
It’s a big task but we’ll do our best. We kept a clean sheet against them a year ago here so why can’t we do it again?
On The Win At City
“It took a lot of hard work. I thought the players were unbelievably disciplined. They worked very hard to fulfil the tactics we had going into the game. On top of that we were able to use the relatively few chances we created ourselves, one of which was a wonder-goal.
It was a great occasion and a great victory for the club. I just hope we haven’t angered them so much they try to punish us for having the temerity for beating them on home turf!”
Manchester City Team News
- Unknown Return Date: Claudio Bravo Achilles injury.
- 75% Chance of Playing: Bernardo Silva Thigh injury. Oleksandr Zinchenko Muscle injury.
Opta Stats
- Crystal Palace are looking to complete the top-flight double over Manchester City for the first time since the 1972-73 campaign. Indeed, the last non-big six side to beat the Citizens twice in the same Premier League season were Everton back in 2010-11.
- Manchester City have won five of their last seven Premier League matches against Crystal Palace, though haven’t beaten the Eagles in their last two encounters (D1 L1).
- Manchester City themselves were the last side to complete the league double over the Premier League reigning champions, beating Chelsea 1-0 both home and away last season.
- Crystal Palace have won just 41% of their Premier League points in home games this season (16/39), the lowest such ratio in the division.
- Manchester City have won their last eight Premier League games, keeping a clean sheet in six of the last seven.
- Manchester City have lost two of their last eight Premier League games against sides starting in the bottom half of the table (W6) – they’d lost just one of their previous 52 such games in the competition (W43 D8 L1).
- Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has won 23 of his 27 Premier League matches against English managers (D3 L1), with his only such defeat to date coming against Roy Hodgson and Crystal Palace in the reverse fixture earlier this season.
- Crystal Palace’s Luka Milivojevic has scored 10 penalty goals in the Premier League this season – only Andrew Johnson (11 in 2004-05, also with Crystal Palace) has netted more from the spot in a single campaign.
- Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has scored 20 Premier League goals in London – only Wayne Rooney (30) has scored more when excluding goals for London clubs. However, Aguero is yet to score in his five appearances at Selhurst Park in the competition.
- Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is winless in his last two league meetings with Crystal Palace – he’s only ever had longer winless league runs against Everton (3) and Borussia Mönchengladbach (4) in his entire managerial career.
Prediction
Palace to do the double with the old Zaha and Milivojevic one two in the last quarter.
Crystal Palace 2 – 1 Manchester City
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