Fresh from their midweek Champions League victory over Red Star Belgrade, Manchester City return to Premier League action against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
After ending their four-game winless run in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory at Luton Town last weekend, the Sky Blues preserved their 100% record in this season’s Champions League by beating Red Star Belgrade 3-2 in their final Group G fixture on Wednesday. Pep Guardiola’s men now shift their focus back to the Premier League before jetting off to Saudi Arabia next week for the Club World Cup.
On the contrary, Crystal Palace have picked up only five points from a possible 45 available over the last two-and-a-half months, leaving Roy Hodgson in a spot of bother. The Eagles went down 2-1 to Liverpool at Selhurst Park last weekend, although they are still seven points clear of the dreaded drop zone.
With a mouthwatering clash at the Etihad Stadium expected, let us take a look at the key battles on the pitch.
#Jack Grealish vs Joel Ward
Jack Grealish should shake off a knock sustained in midweek to start on the left flank against Crystal Palace. The injury to Jeremy Doku should give the England international the chance to establish himself in the starting XI, having himself missed a lot of action this term with injury.
Grealish’s dribbling ability and burst of pace make him a tricky opponent for any full-back to deal with. Joel Ward is expected to start at right-back for Crystal Palace, and after keeping Liverpool’s Luis Diaz from the majority parts of the game last weekend, he will be confident of hacking Grealish.
Nonetheless, it will be a big test for the veteran defender, and how he fairs against the Man City star will go a long way in deciding the outcome of the game.
#Michael Olise vs Nathan Ake
Jordan Ayew is suspended following his red card against Liverpool last weekend, which will open the door for Michael Olise to start. The Frenchman has recently returned from a long injury layoff, and he will be hoping to produce the goods against Man City.
With his movement, dribbling, pace and link-up play, Olise could cause problems for the home side’s defence which has been leaky in recent weeks. Nathan Ake, one of Pep Guardiola’s most trusted members of the squad, will be tasked with the responsibility of keeping Olise quiet.
The Dutchman has repeatedly proven that he has the defensive nous to hold his own against the best wingers on the planet. Ake will have to avoid excessive overlapping if he intends to keep Olise at arm’s length from the Palace goal. Given how defensively solid Ake is, Olise will have to be very sharp to get the better of him.
#Julian Alvarez vs Joachim Andersen
Erling Haaland has missed City’s last two games with a bone injury, and the striker remains doubtful to face the Eagles on Saturday. In Haaland’s potential absence, Julian Alvarez is expected to lead City’s attack.
Alvarez has been productive in front of goal this season, bagging eight goals and seven assists in 20 appearances across all competitions. The Argentinean World Cup winner has been brilliant in attack, and his exploits in the final third will again be significant for the home side.
Stopping him in attack is tough, as Alvarez is very tricky and can use his pace to outrun defenders. This implies that Joachim Andersen will have his work cut out at the Etihad Stadium. The Dane along with Marc Guehi will have to be on their toes to stop Alvarez from making runs in the box.
Considering how defensively poor Palace have been over the last two months, it will be interesting to see how Andersen and Co go about tackling Alvarez’s threat.