Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Manchester City have a great chance to move to the top of the table if they can score a big enough win over Crystal Palace to begin Week 17 of the Premier League season.
It's a week bookended by City's home game and leaders Chelsea's tricky away trip to Stoke City. Last season's champions won't want to let this opportunity pass them by ahead of the busy festive schedule.
Before a closer preview, here are the schedule and viewing details:
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Date: Saturday, Dec. 20
Time: 12:45 p.m. (GMT) / 7:45 a.m. (ET)
TV: BT Sport 1 / NBCSN
Live Stream: Watch BT Sport Now. NBC Sports Live Extra.
Preview
City's bid to overhaul Chelsea's favourable goal difference won't be helped by considerable problems up front. Star talisman Sergio Aguero is currently nursing a torn ligament.
It doesn't help that both Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic are also injured, per BBC Sport. That's left manager Manuel Pellegrini relying on the inexperienced Jose Angel Pozo.
The quick and tricky 18-year-old has yet to score a league goal for the Citizens. He doesn't seem physically robust enough to handle leading the line in the frenetic, rough-and-tumble environment of the Premier League.
Fortunately for Pellegrini, there are plenty of goals elsewhere in his team. Midfield schemers Samir Nasri and David Silva both know where the net is.
So does veteran loanee Frank Lampard. In fact, he's probably never had to ask. The 36-year-old, who's scheduled to play for New York City FC, has been superb since signing a short-term deal with the reigning Premier League champions.
He's hit four league goals, per WhoScored.com, and had a great impact from the bench. That type of form has Pellegrini anxious to keep the former Chelsea man around, per FIFA.com:
"Frank is very important, one of the reasons he played today was it was important to refresh the team. Frank was very useful for us in that moment. Frank is a top player, he must continue scoring goals, he is great inside the box. We know exactly what we must do. Frank wants to stay, we want to keep him. We must resolve the problem with New York City and with the MLS.
"
As a player who can chip in with goals from midfield, Lampard's contributions could prove critical during the Christmas period. Pellegrini would be wise to turn the veteran loose against Palace and hope his work with Silva and Nasri creates chances and goals.
Of course, Palace will be stubbornly resolute at the Etihad Stadium. In Mile Jedinak, the club possesses a midfield battler who can actually match City's power in the middle. The tussle between Jedinak and the rugged City midfield could make for enthralling but barbaric viewing.
In terms of a scoring threat, Palace's best hope will come from releasing lightning-fast winger Yannick Bolasie on the break. Manager Neil Warnock should instruct Bolasie to target accident-prone City left-back Gael Clichy.
Prediction: City 2-0 Palace
Although Warnock's men will stifle for long periods, City's intricate passing game will eventually undo them. Even without a credible striker, Silva and Nasri's technical quality will conjure some real magic.
The win will put City in a great position to overhaul Chelsea's lead during the festive fixtures.
