Glasner looks to replicate FA Cup final fight in Man City rematch

Oliver Glasner says Crystal Palace must show the same fight and determination as they displayed in May's FA Cup final if they are to upset Manchester City again on Sunday.

Eberechi Eze's goal proved decisive as the Eagles beat City 1-0 at Wembley Stadium to win their first-ever major trophy seven months ago, with Dean Henderson also saving an Omar Marmoush penalty. 

Palace approach the game off the back of a 3-0 Conference League victory over Shelbourne, having also won their last two Premier League matches, against Burnley and Fulham. 

Palace's most recent home game was a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on November 30, and Glasner knows his team need to play with more intensity than they did that day.

"To be honest, there's always great energy in our stadium at Selhurst. Our fans create this great energy," Glasner said.

"We had a very long, unbeaten home run until the United game and it's now the chance to start the next run again.

"Of course, when you play City, we will need a top performance to get the win, but we know we can count on our fans that they will support us and then we will try it, definitely.

"I think we were competitive in the FA Cup final. We were very efficient, and we had a great goalkeeper and a great spirit to defend our goal, and we will need this again.

"We will need a great goalkeeper and we will need to be efficient, because I'm pretty sure that we will create three or four chances to score, and it would be good to take one of these opportunities."

While Palace are fourth in the Premier League table with 26 points, City are five points better off in second, only two adrift of leaders Arsenal.

Pep Guardiola missed Friday's pre-match press conference due to a personal issue but will be on the touchline in south London, with his assistant Kolo Toure saying everyone at the club has utmost faith in their title chances.

"Pep is fine, it's a small matter that didn't bring him here, but everything is fine. He will be back, for sure," Toure said.

"We have the best manager in the world who is doing an incredible job every day, his passion for the game, he loves the players, he loves his staff. We know he will take us far as we can to win that league. We have to focus on what we can do."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Crystal Palace – Eddie Nketiah

Palace have injury doubts over both Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr ahead of this game, and if they miss out, Nketiah could carry the hosts' attacking hopes. 

The former Arsenal man has scored 21 of his 24 Premier League goals in London – the highest percentage of any player to score 20 goals in the history of the competition.

Manchester City – Rayan Cherki

Among players to play at least 300 minutes in the Premier League this season, the two players to create the most chances per 90 are Cherki and Jeremy Doku, averaging 3.4 each.

Cherki also ranks first for big chances created per 90 (1.6) and expected assists per 90 (0.55 xA), while he is assisting a goal every 80 minutes in the competition (five in 398 mins), the best-ever ratio by any player in a Premier League campaign.

MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

Though Palace have a reputation for troubling City, Guardiola's side have an excellent record at Selhurst Park.

City have lost just two of their last 20 Premier League meetings with the Eagles (13 wins, five draws), with both of their defeats in this run coming at the Etihad Stadium.

Indeed, Palace are winless in their last 10 Premier League home games against the Citizens, drawing three and losing seven since a 2-1 victory under Alan Pardew in April 2015.

And City have won their last three Premier League matches, scoring at least three goals in each win, last enjoying a longer such run in April 2024 (four). 

Pep Guardiola has overseen 149 Premier League wins in which his team have scored at least three goals and he could now become the third manager to reach 150 such victories, after Alex Ferguson (245) and Arsene Wenger (228).

City are also the leading Premier League scorers this season with 35 goals, and they also lead the way for expected goals (30.0 xG). They have the third best overperformance on xG in the division (five goals), only behind Tottenham (10.1) and Aston Villa (5.6).

But there could be action at both ends, as both teams have scored at least twice in each of the last four Premier League meetings between Palace and City. The last top-flight fixture to have this happen more consecutively was Arsenal vs Burnley between 1959 and 1961 (five).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Crystal Palace – 33.7%

Manchester City – 40.6%

Draw – 25.7%