Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City: FA Cup 2017 Team News and Prediction
After some testing times in the Premier League, the FA Cup will provide a pleasant distraction for Crystal Palace and Manchester City when they meet in the fourth round at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
In the league, new Eagles boss Sam Allardyce is still searching for his first win since taking charge at the club in December. They battled gamely in their last clash with Everton although eventually caved in to second-half pressure to lose 1-0; the new coach's only victory so far came against Bolton Wanderers in the previous round of the FA Cup.
City were much improved on Saturday in their showdown with Tottenham Hotspur, although manager Pep Guardiola will have been disappointed to see his players surrender a two-goal lead to draw 2-2. In the previous round of the FA Cup, they were imperious in a 5-0 win over West Ham United.
Here are the key details and the latest team news ahead of what should be a fascinating game.
Date: Saturday, January 28
Time: 3 p.m. (GMT), 10 a.m. (ET)
Team News
Crystal Palace
Despite Ivory Coast's elimination from the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, Allardyce is unlikely to have Wilfried Zaha available. Meanwhile, Pape Souare and Connor Wickham are both long-term absentees.
Likely XI: Wayne Hennessey; James Tomkins, Scott Dann, Damien Delaney; Joel Ward, Yohan Cabaye, Jason Puncheon, James McArthur, Jeffrey Schlupp; Loic Remy, Christian Benteke.
Manchester City
Guardiola is still without Fernandinho, who will serve the final match of his four-game suspension. Goalkeeper Willy Caballero started the FA Cup tie against West Ham and is set to step in for Claudio Bravo once again.
Likely XI: Willy Caballero; Pablo Zabaleta, Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones, Gael Clichy; Yaya Toure, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne; Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane, Sergio Aguero.
Preview
With the Premier League title looking a little beyond City—they sit in fifth, 12 points behind leaders Chelsea—the FA Cup will take on extra significance for Guardiola.
And based on the team he chose for the previous fixture in this competition, he's taking the FA Cup seriously. City's best performance of the campaign arguably came in the win at London Stadium, with the invention in possession and attacking movement far too crisp for the Hammers to handle.
In the 2-2 draw against Spurs, less than a week on from a 4-0 humbling at the hands of Everton, there were big positives to take too. The City boss said as much himself, per Rob Harris of the Associated Press:
Guardiola's response to the team's recent defensive woes was to play an even more attacking side at the Etihad Stadium for the visit of Tottenham. And provided they play with the same swagger in the final third in this fixture, it's tough to see how Palace will cope.
A midfield trio of Toure, De Bruyne and Silva may not be bristling with defensive bite, but the conviction with which they kept possession and scythed through one of the division's most organised outfits was impressive.
Guardiola could also call upon Gabriel Jesus, as he impressed from the bench against Spurs in his first appearance for the club.
Per Grup 14's Sergi Dominguez, the 19-year-old seemed keen to make a mark with and without the ball:
As for Palace, Allardyce will hope Benteke's physicality can rough up a defence that has been far from secure in recent weeks. Expect an agricultural approach from the Eagles, who will be wary of being too expansive against a City side that's bursting with attacking quality.
The key for the hosts is staying level as long as possible. Should City net early on, as they did against West Ham, they have the class to pull opponents apart. However, a City side that lacks stamina and cohesion can be exploited late in the game should Palace still be in it by then.
Given their recent struggles, though, it looks too much to ask of this Palace side to keep the visitors at bay for too long on Saturday.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-3 Manchester City
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