Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: Premier League Gameweek 16 Prediction & Preview

Match Details:

• Fixture: Crystal Palace vs Manchester City
• Competition: Premier League (Gameweek 16, 2025/26 Season)
• Venue: Selhurst Park, London
• Date: Sunday, December 14, 2025
• Kick-Off: 2:00 PM GMT (17:00 EAT)

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City Prediction: Can the Eagles Ground the League Leaders?

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City headlines Premier League Gameweek 16 as Pep Guardiola's Citizens travel to the notoriously difficult Selhurst Park. Manchester City arrive in London brimming with confidence after their impressive 2-1 Champions League victory over Real Madrid midweek, where Erling Haaland and Nico O'Reilly starred in a statement performance.

However, Crystal Palace are finding their own rhythm under Oliver Glasner. The Eagles are bouncing off a confident 3-0 Conference League win featuring a masterclass from Eddie Nketiah, who bagged a goal and an assist. Having also dispatched Fulham 2-1 in their previous Premier League outing, Palace will believe they have the momentum to repeat their FA Cup heroics from earlier this year when they shocked City 1-0.

The Crystal Palace vs Man City fixture is often a potential banana skin for the Citizens, and Sunday's battle at Selhurst Park promises intensity. While City dismantled Sunderland 3-0 last weekend with Rayan Cherki dominating, the absence of key midfielders Rodri and Mateo Kovacic could give Palace hope in the engine room.

Premier League Standings: Title Charge vs UCL Ambition

Manchester City sits at 2nd of table just 2 points below league leaders Arsenal in the Premier League table, looking to overthrow Arsenals lead, while Crystal Palace occupies 4th place, aiming to cement into the top four. The 5-point gap in quality is evident, but Selhurst Park has leveled greater disparities before.

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: Recent Form Analysis

Manchester City Form (Last 5 Games): L-W-W-W-W

• Overall PPG: 2.06
• Away PPG: 1.43

Crystal Palace Form (Last 5 Games): L-L-W-W-W

• Overall PPG: 1.73
• Home PPG: 1.67

Manchester City are in imperious form, highlighted by their comfortable 3-0 win over Sunderland in Gameweek 15 and that statement Champions League victory over Real Madrid. Crystal Palace are also on an upward trajectory, with back-to-back wins across competitions instilling fresh belief in the squad ahead of this crucial Premier League Gameweek 16 clash.

Head-to-Head Record: City Dominant, But Palace Remain a Bogey Team

While Manchester City has historically controlled this fixture, Palace remains a bogey team. The two sides have played a total of 30 matches since 2004, with City winning 21, Palace winning 4, and 5 matches ending in a draw.

Last 5 Meetings:

• Palace Won: 1
• Draws: 2
• City Won: 2

Last Meeting: Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City (May 17, 2025, FA Cup)

That FA Cup defeat is fresh in Guardiola's memory. Palace proved they can shut out City's attack, and breaking down their defensive block will be the primary objective for the visitors in this Premier League encounter.

Team News & Injury Updates

Crystal Palace Injury Report

Caleb Kporha: Back Injury - Ruled Out

Cheick Doucoure: Knee Injury - Ruled Out (Significant loss for the midfield battle)

Ismaila Sarr: Ankle Injury - Ruled Out

Daniel Munoz: Knee Injury - Ruled Out

Jaydee Canvot: Illness - Doubtful

Oliver Glasner faces a headache on the right flank and in midfield with Doucoure and Munoz out. Reliance will fall heavily on Adam Wharton and the in-form Eddie Nketiah to provide the spark against Manchester City.

Manchester City Injury Report

Rodri: Hamstring Injury - Ruled Out

Mateo Kovacic: Ankle Injury - Ruled Out

John Stones: Thigh Injury - Ruled Out

Pep Guardiola faces a midfield crisis ahead of the Crystal Palace vs Manchester City clash. With both Rodri and Kovacic out, the defensive midfield pivot is vulnerable. This likely means another start for youngster Nico O'Reilly or a deeper role for Rico Lewis. However, the attack is fully loaded, with Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland fully fit.

Tactical Breakdown: Crystal Palace vs Man City

Manchester City: Calculated Aggression

Without Rodri, City may play slightly more cautiously in transition but will still dominate possession at Selhurst Park.

• The Cherki Factor: After his stellar performance against Sunderland, expect him to drift inside to overload central areas
• Haaland's Physicality: City will look to bypass the midfield press by going direct to Haaland early
• High Line: Defenders will push up to compress play, relying on Donnarumma's sweeping

Key Players:Erling Haaland (Goal machine), Rayan Cherki (Creative spark), Nico O'Reilly (Midfield engine)

Crystal Palace: Counter-Attack and Set Pieces

Palace will set up to frustrate and sting on the break at home.

• Low Block: A 3-4-3 out of possession to deny space
• Feeding Nketiah: Quick transitions looking for Nketiah running the channels
• Selhurst Atmosphere: Using the crowd to disrupt City's rhythm

Key Players:Eddie Nketiah (In-form scorer), Marc Guehi (Defensive leader), Yeremy Pino (Transition threat)

Probable Starting Line-ups: Crystal Palace vs Manchester City

Manchester City (4-1-4-1)

GK: Donnarumma
DEF: Lewis, Dias(C), Gvardiol, O'Reilly
MID: Nico
ATT: Cherki, Foden, Reijnders, Doku
FWD: Haaland

Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1)

GK: Henderson
DEF: Richards, Guehi(C), Lacroix
MID: Mitchell, Wharton, Kamada, Clyne
ATT: Pino, Nketiah
FWD: Mateta

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City Final Score Prediction

Despite the midfield injuries for City, their depth in attack is frightening. Crystal Palace will be buoyed by their recent form and the memory of that FA Cup win, but City's performance against Real Madrid suggests they are in "ruthless mode."

Rayan Cherki's creativity combined with Haaland's finishing power should be enough to break down the Eagles' resistance at Selhurst Park, though Nketiah is likely to snatch a goal for the hosts.

Final Score Prediction: Crystal Palace 2-3 Manchester City

Betting Tips:

• Manchester City to win & Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
• Erling Haaland to score 2+ goals
• Over 3.5 Goals

Why This Premier League Gameweek 16 Match Matters

For Manchester City

With the Premier League title race heating up in December, consistency is key. Guardiola cannot afford to drop points against mid-table sides if he wants to maintain the pace at the top. It is also a chance to avenge the FA Cup loss from May.

For Crystal Palace

A result here would be a massive statement of intent for their European ambitions next season. It would validate their recent good form and turn Selhurst Park into a fortress once again.

Where to Watch Crystal Palace vs Manchester City

The Premier League Gameweek 16 clash will be broadcast live on major sports networks. Check your local listings for:

• UK: Sky Sports Main Event / Premier League
• USA: USA Network, NBC Sports App
• Worldwide: Official Premier League streaming partners

Kick-off: 2:00 PM GMT / 17:00 EAT on Sunday, December 14, 2025

Crystal Palace vs Man City: Match Preview Summary

Manchester City enter Gameweek 16 as favorites, but with a depleted midfield featuring injuries to Rodri and Kovacic, they are vulnerable. Crystal Palace, led by a resurgent Eddie Nketiah, have the tools to hurt them at Selhurst Park. However, coming off a morale-boosting win over Real Madrid, the Citizens' firepower featuring Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki should ultimately prove too much for the Eagles.

Expected Final Score: Crystal Palace 2-3 Manchester City

Stay tuned for live updates, final team sheets, and post-match analysis of Crystal Palace vs Manchester City.

Related Content:

• Premier League Title Race Analysis
• Erling Haaland Goal Scoring Records
• Gameweek 15 Recap and Highlights
• Manchester City Tactical Analysis