The Premier League title race is down to the wire, and Manchester City need a miracle—starting with Wednesday's must-win clash against Crystal Palace (3 pm ET). Pep Guardiola's side is clinging to hope, knowing they must win all remaining games and pray Arsenal stumbles in one of their final two matches to snatch the trophy.
It's been a rollercoaster season for the reigning champions. City have drawn or lost 13 of their 35 league games, including a brutal five losses in six matches starting New Year's Day—a slump that might prove too costly. They looked unstoppable in Saturday's 3-0 thrashing of Brentford, but that came right after a near-disaster against Everton, where they conceded three goals in 13 minutes and handed Arsenal the advantage. For good this time, perhaps.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace have bigger fish to fry. The Eagles are laser-focused on their Europa Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano on May 27—a chance to win their second major trophy in 12 months after last season's stunning FA Cup final victory over… you guessed it, Manchester City. Even more impressive? They've done it after losing stars like Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, and Marc Guehi over the last two seasons. Guehi, ironically, now plays for City after a $27 million January move.
For Oliver Glasner's side, this match might be a distraction, but for City, it's everything. Expect a high-stakes battle at the Etihad, with both teams bringing intensity for very different reasons.
Match Details:
Kickoff: 3 pm ET, Wednesday, May 13
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
TV Channel: USA Network
Streaming: Watch on USA
Team News:
Manchester City: OUT – Josko Gvardiol (leg); QUESTIONABLE – Rodri (undisclosed), Abdukodir Khusanov (knock)
Crystal Palace: OUT – Cheick Doucoure (knee), Eddie Nketiah (undisclosed); QUESTIONABLE – Evann Guessand (knee), Borna Sosa (undisclosed)
Prediction: It's a strange feeling, but City have been out of European competition for nearly two months now. That extra rest gives them a freshness edge, and at home, they should have enough to overcome a Palace side with one eye on a cup final. Expect a hard-fought 2-0 win for the hosts—keeping their faint title hopes alive for another week.