Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace Prediction: Must-Win Match for Guardiola’s Side

With less than two weeks of the season remaining, Manchester City are outsiders in the Premier League title race. They need to beat Crystal Palace on Wednesday to keep their hopes alive.

• Manchester City ran out 3-0 winners against Brentford in their last outing

• Crystal Palace came from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Everton on Sunday

Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace Odds

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My +130 Pick for Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace  

Back Manchester City / Manchester City in the half-time / full-time market. It is hard to see Pep Guardiola’s team slipping up on home turf, and we expect them to be ahead after both 45 and 90 minutes.

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Manchester City Must Keep Fighting Until the Race Is Over

It was one of the most dramatic moments of the Premier League season. With Arsenal leading 1-0 in second-half injury time, Callum Wilson appeared to have scored an equalizer for West Ham United. But after a video review, the ‘goal’ was chalked off. Arsenal fans rejoiced at the opposite end of the London Stadium, while West Ham supporters slumped in their seats in despair.

It was not just those two groups of fans that reacted with emotion one way or another. Arsenal’s reprieve also helped their arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, who are locked in a two-way battle against relegation with West Ham. But the cancellation of Wilson’s strike was not good news for Manchester City, who fell five points behind Arsenal as a consequence of their 1-0 defeat of the Hammers.

As such, the title race is in Arsenal’s hands. If they win their two remaining matches against Burnley and Crystal Palace, Mikel Arteta’s men will be champions of England for the first time since 2004. Since their 3-3 draw with Everton last week, City have needed a favor from one of Arsenal’s opponents. West Ham were perhaps the likeliest to deliver one.

You would much rather be in Arsenal’s shoes than City’s right now. Burnley, their next opponents, are already relegated and have been in the bottom three for months. Crystal Palace are a stronger side, but their Premier League form has been patchy and they will face Arsenal just days before their appearance in the Conference League final alongside Rayo Vallecano.

But stranger things have happened in soccer. Guardiola’s team must continue applying pressure to Arsenal until mathematics intervenes. One slip-up from the Gunners would suddenly open the door to City again. They must be ready in case Arsenal do stumble at the Emirates Stadium or Selhurst Park.

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Crystal Palace Are Safe and Have Sights Set on Europe

Crystal Palace’s season comes down to one game, and it is not in the Premier League. West Ham’s failure to beat Arsenal on Sunday, together with Palace’s 2-2 draw with Everton a couple of hours earlier, secured survival for Oliver Glasner’s team. They are now free to focus on the aforementioned Conference League final.

That will be Glasner’s last match as Palace boss, with the Austrian having announced as far back as January that he will be departing in the summer. He is already Palace’s most successful ever manager, having led the team to FA Cup and Community Shield glory in 2025. He now has the chance to cement his legacy by winning a European trophy in the club’s debut campaign in continental competition.

This is undoubtedly the greatest period in Palace’s history. A triumph over Rayo Vallecano would not only bring them another piece of silverware, but it would also earn them a spot in next season’s Europa League.

“The game today makes me very proud, to be honest, because being twice down after a few minutes, after the start and after half-time, coming back and the way we came back,” Glasner said after the 2-2 draw.

“The way we played, especially the last 30 minutes, the pressure we had, it felt like Everton had just played three days ago and we looked so fresh. We looked so determined and really what I like was that it’s not that we wanted to get the point – we tried to win the game and create the chances. The way we played was really amazing to watch and that makes me proud.”

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Manchester City Can Keep the Fight Alive by Winning This Game

Manchester City had a few tense moments against Brentford on Saturday, but by the end of the game they were deserved and healthy winners. The title could still be decided on goal difference, so Guardiola’s side are incentivised to go for broke in this rearranged fixture. 

At the time of writing, Arsenal lead City by two on goal difference, although this is the latter’s game in hand. A win by two goals, then, would put City level on goal difference and ahead on goals scored, giving them the edge in the event that the two clubs finish level on points. Of course, the picture could change again in the final two rounds of fixtures.

Despite having played Shakhtar Donetsk in the Conference League three days earlier, Glasner named a strong Crystal Palace side to face Everton last time out. However, he has already hinted that he will shuffle his pack ahead of the final against Rayo Vallecano. The question is: does that include Wednesday’s trip to the Etihad Stadium?

This will be a difficult game for the Eagles even if they pick their best XI. Palace have avoided defeat in three of their last six visits to Manchester City, but they will struggle to match their opponents’ motivation here. On top of that, Palace have won just one of their last six games in the Premier League.

City have the best first-half record in the division, so they will aim to make a fast start to this must-win encounter. Back Manchester City / Manchester City in the half-time / full-time market.

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How to Watch Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace 

• Teams: Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace 

• Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England

• Date and Time: Wednesday 13th May, 3:00 PM ET

• How to Watch: USA Network