- David Silva is out for Manchester City with an injury
- Kevin de Bruyne could make his City debut
- Palace has won four of its last five PL games
It’s first-place vs. second-place on Saturday when Manchester City heads to Selhurst Park to face off against Crystal Palace (Watch live, 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via Live Extra).
Manchester City currently sits at the top of the table with a perfect record of four wins from four matches, as Manuel Pellegrini’s men have looked like the team to beat early on in the season. City’s ten goals scored is most in the league, while they remain the only team yet to concede a goal as well. Their +10 goal differential is +7 better than the closest side, which four teams have, including Crystal Palace.
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A big blow for City is the absence of David Silva, who has been ruled out after picking up an ankle injury. Silva has run the show in City’s midfield, and has been one of the top players in the league this season. However, Silva’s injury means that Kevin de Bruyne will likely get the start in his place in what could be his first appearance for the club. Manchester City paid $85 million for the Belgian winger, and City supporters believe his arrival could be the key to claiming the Premier League title.
Crystal Palace is coming off a massive 2-1 win away at Chelsea, but will have their hands full when they return to Selhurst Park. Injury problems have also hit the Eagles, as Connor Wickham and Marouane Chamakh have both been hurt, meaning the young Patrick Bamford will likely get the start up top.
What they’re saying
Alan Pardew on Palace’s strengths: “We’re different to Manchester City. We have more counter-attacks than them. They tend to retain the ball sufficiently, they can dominate possession and how many times we can unlock the door on our breakaways will be the key.”
Pellegrini on Kevin de Bruyne: “His position is easy to settle in our team. He will be a very important player for us. He’s in the squad list, we’ll see tomorrow whether he starts. I think that he can play in all three positions, on the wings or as a striker with no problems.”
Prediction
This should be a highly entertaining match as both sides have been playing some really good football to start the season. After stunning Chelsea last matchday, it’s going to be a tall order for Palace to repeat with another win over a dominant City side. David Silva’s absence will hurt, but City should still take all three points. Crystal Palace 1-2 Manchester City.