Manchester City vs Crystal Palace prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2025-04-11 11:30.
[p]The race for the UEFA Champions League (UCL) spots in the Premier League received a huge boost in midweek when it was confirmed that a fifth-placed finish will earn someone a spot at Europe’s top table. Manchester City are one of the sides who could benefit from that as they sit sixth in the table, in a tight-knit group of four sides from fourth to seventh separated by just two points. [/p]
[p]It’s incomprehensible to imagine City finishing outside of the top five, but one win from their last four league games (D2, L1) isn’t the kind of form you’d expect from a Pep Guardiola side at this stage of the season. The visit of Crystal Palace would ordinarily stimulate a response as City have won seven of the last 12 Premier League H2Hs (D4, L1), but having won none of their three Saturday lunchtime kick-off slots this year (D1, L2), that may not be the case here.[/p]
[p]Across their last ten Premier League games, only runaway leaders Liverpool (23) have collected more points than Crystal Palace. They’ve left it late, but after the news that fifth will now be a UCL spot, and after Newcastle’s Carabao Cup triumph, Palace could have half an eye on European football knowing that eighth place could be worthy of a continental spot. [/p]
[p]That would be quite the achievement given Palace have never before played major European football, and an eight-match unbeaten away run (W6, D2) would suggest all hope isn’t lost just yet. Seven of those games also saw the Eagles keep a clean sheet, but having conceded at least twice in ten of their last 11 away H2Hs, their recent phenomenal defensive record on the road perhaps faces its toughest test yet.[/p]
[p]Players to watch: City full-back Rico Lewis has only ever scored three Premier League goals in his career, but all three have come against Palace! Jean-Philippe Mateta scored a brace on his last visit to Manchester (W 2-0 vs Manchester United), while he also scored home and away last season against City! [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Fourteen of Crystal Palace’s 20 away league goals this season came after half-time. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]