Crystal Palace vs Man City Prediction 14 December 2025
🔊 The standout match of the Premier League's 16th round is set to take place at Selhurst Park. In London, Crystal Palace and Manchester City, both top-four contenders, will face off. The Citizens' position in the upper half of the table is secure, but with another slip-up from Arsenal, they could seize the top spot before the new year. Meanwhile, the Eagles are battling for a Champions League spot, currently edging out fifth-placed Chelsea by a single point. Which team will have the greater motivation to win? Our editorial team will assess the odds and provide an insightful prediction.
Head-to-Head
📊 Manchester City have failed to defeat Crystal Palace in their last two encounters at Selhurst Park. The Citizens last celebrated a victory in London over a year and a half ago. However, looking at the broader picture, Pep Guardiola's side holds the upper hand with five wins compared to the Eagles' two. The teams have also drawn three times. Notably, recent clashes between these sides have been particularly thrilling, with the total goals exceeding 3.5 in 4 of their last 5 meetings.
Head-to-head statistics Crystal Palace - Man City
Crystal Palace Team Overview
Crystal Palace have extended their winning streak to three matches across all competitions. In the Premier League specifically, the Eagles have suffered only one defeat in their last six outings - a 2-1 loss to Manchester United. However, they bounced back to claim six points in the two subsequent matches. While their away performance against Burnley raised some eyebrows (1-0), their convincing triumph over Fulham was more than satisfactory (2-1). In both matches, the Eagles ceded possession, averaging just 39.5% of the ball. Against the Clarets, their attacking display was somewhat lackluster (three shots with a total xG of 0.62), but they significantly improved both the quantity and quality of their chances against the Cottagers (11 shots with 1.75 xG).
In the Conference League, Crystal Palace have alternated between wins and losses. However, they've managed to rack up more victories: three compared to two defeats. Their latest triumph came on the road against Shelbourne in Dublin (3-0). The visitors dominated the Irish side, allowing only five shots with an xG of 0.39, while they themselves unleashed a barrage of 29 shots with an xG of 3.86. This result has brought Oliver Glasner's team within touching distance of the top eight, trailing by just one point from the round of 16 playoff spots.
Match Results: Crystal Palace
Manchester City Team Overview
Manchester City’s winning streak extends one match longer than Crystal Palace’s. It wasn't without its challenges, of course. In matches against Leeds (3-2) and Fulham (5-4), both from the lower half of the table, the Sky Blues conceded a total of six goals. They looked far more assured against Sunderland (3-0). The match at the Etihad unfolded in the familiar City fashion of recent years: total dominance in possession (64% to 36%) and chances created (18 shots worth 2.58 xG against 8 shots with 0.46 xG). With Arsenal stumbling, Pep Guardiola’s side have closed the gap at the top to just two points.
The most formidable opponent over this four-match stretch was Real Madrid in the Champions League. The Citizens handled their trip to Madrid impressively. The match was evenly contested, both in terms of possession (52% to 48% in favor of the hosts) and opportunities. Los Blancos had more shots on goal (16 to 12), but the Sky Blues were more efficient with their chances (2.26 xG against 1.79 xG). After the sixth round, City leapfrogged Real to break into the top four of the main stage standings.
Match Results: Manchester City
Latest news
Crystal Palace
🎙 Crystal Palace's head coach shared his expectations ahead of their 16th round clash against Manchester City. "We watched their game against Fulham since we had our next match with the Cottagers. City are truly impressive, especially in how they attack, create scoring chances, and finish them off. However, on the flip side, we've noticed they also allow opportunities for opponents to create and score. This will be a good test for us. As I've mentioned, we expect them to give us some space, which we can exploit to create our own chances. That's what we're aiming for. We want to score goals. If we want to win, we need to find the net, and that's what we'll strive for," said Oliver Glasner.
❌ Recently, Crystal Palace have been hit by the absence of three players: Ismaïla Sarr, Daniel Muñoz, and Jeide Canwo. The first two are pivotal in Oliver Glasner's system. Moreover, the Eagles have already had several key figures sidelined for a significant time: Chadi Riad, Caleb Kporar, Cheick Doucouré, and Borna Sosa.
Manchester City
🎙 Manchester City forward Erling Haaland assessed the Citizens' chances of catching Arsenal in the Premier League standings anytime soon: "I don't like to talk much about this because we need to focus on ourselves. Manchester City have been very good at this for the past 10 years. We need to not think about others and concentrate on ourselves. Right now, we need to focus on Sunday's match against Crystal Palace. Look at the schedule-it's amazing. The main thing is to stay in form, take it game by game, and hopefully, we'll win on Sunday."
❌ Manchester City have lost defender John Stones to a thigh injury. Let's not forget the usual residents of the Citizens' injury list this season-Mateo Kovacic and Rodri.
🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards
The main referee for the match is Darren England. Over his last 20 Premier League matches, he has averaged four yellow cards per game. The upcoming clash promises to be intense. Manchester City have dropped points in three of their last five encounters at Selhurst Park. Moreover, in six of their last seven away games this season, the Citizens have received at least two yellow cards. The visitors are eager to close the gap on league leaders Arsenal, so expect them to fight fiercely against Palace. We anticipate that Manchester City's total yellow cards will exceed 1.5.
⚽️ Goal Prediction
Recent matches involving both teams have been thrilling, with the over 2.5 goals line being surpassed in four of their last five games. The same can be said for their head-to-head meetings, where the goal tally has exceeded 3.5 in four of the last five encounters. Heading into this round, both sides are coming off midweek European competitions, but the Conference League doesn't quite match up to the Champions League. We believe this will impact the reliability of City's more robust squad, resulting in a match reminiscent of the recent high-scoring affair between the Citizens and Fulham. Our prediction: total goals over 2.5.
🚩 Corner Prediction
Oliver Glasner primarily structures Crystal Palace's play through the center, utilizing a 3-4-2-1 formation. The wing-backs occasionally drop back, leaving a trio consisting of a striker and two playmakers upfront. In this setup, it's challenging for the Eagles to maintain prolonged pressure near the opponent's goal, which in turn limits their set-piece opportunities. Palace's corner count hasn't exceeded 4.5 in five consecutive Premier League matches, as well as in 13 of their last 14 head-to-heads with Man City. Given these circumstances, a bet on Crystal Palace's total corners under 4.5 appears well-founded.
Editor's Prediction
The upcoming clash features teams with fundamentally different styles. Manchester City are the Premier League's top scorers with 35 goals (compared to their closest rival's 28). Crystal Palace rank second in defensive reliability, conceding just 12 goals. Yet, the script in four of their last five Premier League encounters has followed City's blueprint, with each game seeing over 3.5 goals scored. Both sides enter the 16th round after midweek European trips, which could impact their form.
While not underestimating Oliver Glasner's defensive prowess, we believe the Sky Blues can at least find the net once. Considering Pep Guardiola's side's shootouts against the likes of Leeds and Fulham, it's likely the Eagles will also contribute to Sunday's spectacle. Given these factors, a bet on both teams to score (yes) seems reasonable. We give a slight edge to the visitors, who boast a more complete squad with fewer injury concerns, predicting a narrow victory for them (2-1).
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Betting Tips: Crystal Palace - Manchester City
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Comparison of Teams Stats
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