Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City Prediction: Pep Guardiola’s Side Back in Race

• Manchester City are now only two points behind Arsenal in top spot

• Crystal Palace are having another fine season under Oliver Glasner

• Will Manchester City keep the pressure on Arsenal this weekend?

Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City Odds

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My -118 Pick for Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City 

Choose Manchester City to win on Sunday. Crystal Palace will be tired after their midweek European assignment, so Pep Guardiola’s team should have enough to get the job done.

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Manchester City Are Right Back on Arsenal’s Heels

There is no doubt that Arsenal have been the best team in the Premier League this season. Yet despite that, their lead at the summit of the standings heading into the weekend stands at a mere two points. Manchester City are breathing down Arsenal's necks and that will not be a comfortable position for Mikel Arteta's men to be in.

Arsenal opened the door to City last weekend, going down 2-1 to Aston Villa. A few hours later Pep Guardiola's team responded with a 3-0 victory over Sunderland. Arsenal face last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, giving them the chance to extend their advantage again. But if City can beat Crystal Palace in south London, they will keep the heat on Arsenal, at least for the time being.

City have experience on their side. They could only manage a third-place finish last term, but before that they won four titles on the bounce. The likes of Ruben Dias, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva have won multiple championships at the Etihad Stadium. Those players (and plenty of their team-mates) know what it takes to go the distance. Arsenal, by contrast, have not finished first since 2003/04. Moreover, this group has finished as runners-up in three consecutive years.

“Of course it’s better to be closer than further to the top of the league,” Guardiola said after the defeat of Sunderland. “But from my experience, sorry, I don’t want to feel arrogant but I have experience of winning the Premier League titles, it’s to be consistent.

“The consistency comes just from one thing, from the way you play. Not for the result one day or the victory, going two points behind or four points in front. It’s the consistency of how much you perform, how much you grow during the year.”

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Crystal Palace Trying to Compete on All Fronts Against Odds

Crystal Palace are going through the greatest period in their club’s history. Oliver Glasner's side won the FA Cup last season, beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final. They then got the better of Liverpool in the Community Shield in August, adding another trophy to the previously empty cabinet at Selhurst Park. 

Palace did not stop there. Under the excellent Oliver Glasner, they have made their best ever start to a Premier League season. The Eagles are fourth in the table heading into the weekend, above the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. A victory over Manchester City on Sunday would put them two points behind Guardiola's charges.

Additionally, Palace are eyeing more silverware. They have not had everything their own way in the Conference League so far, but no one would relish facing the Eagles in that competition. Glasner’s team are through to the EFL Cup quarter-finals, and they will be aiming to retain their FA Cup crown once they enter the tournament in January.

Whether Palace will be able to compete on four fronts across the entire season remains to be seen. Their roster is not the deepest, with Glasner frustrated that Palace did not add more bodies in the summer. He will hope to see more activity once the winter window opens on New Year's Day.

“Winning is the most important thing to give you confidence and put you in a good mood,” Glasner said after the 2-1 win against Fulham last weekend. 

“It makes me proud because my team didn't want to just defend the draw, we wanted to win and that's why we got it in the end. There are small margins like this in every single Premier League game, but we are always able to score goals and defend well.”

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Manchester City Should Pick Up Maximum Points in London

Manchester City will not have everything their own way in this one. Crystal Palace’s position in the table is no fluke. Their underlying numbers are impressive. In the expected goals difference rankings (a measure of chance quality created and conceded), Palace are third behind only Arsenal and City. Only the Gunners have conceded fewer goals.

However, tiredness could be a factor. City played Real Madrid on Wednesday, whereas Palace were in action against Shelbourne on Thursday. That means the Eagles have had less rest, while they also have a thinner squad with which to manage fixture congestion.

City will nevertheless be challenged at Selhurst. The last time these two teams met, Palace were the better team in the FA Cup final. Guardiola knows how dangerous Glasner's side can be, particularly when they get the ball from back to front quickly.

Even so, City's superior depth and individual quality could make the difference. Palace recently lost at home to Manchester United, so they are by no means unbeatable on home turf. And although they found a late winner against Fulham last weekend, they have tended to tire in the second half of matches lately.

It will be tight, but we fancy City to come out on top on Sunday.

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How to Watch Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City

• Teams: Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City

• Location: Selhurst Park, London, England

• Date and Time: Sunday 14th December, 9:00AM ET

• How to Watch: Peacock Premium