Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City LIVE: Erling Haaland fires over from yards out as the visitors aim to move to within two points of table-toppers Arsenal with a victory at relegation-threatened Eagles
Follow Sportsmail’s live blog for the Premier League clash between Crystal Palace and Manchester City.
Host commentator
The Palace captain has just been yellow carded for craping his studs down Rodri’s calf. City have a free-kick just inside the Palace half, t’s hit deep, Rodri meets it with his head but the offside flag goes up.
Haaland has been lethal this season but that doesn’t stop him from missing. A pearoller into his path from six-yard out should see the net burst. Instead he sends the effort over the bar. What a miss, what a chance!
City again look dangerous as a link-up between Grealish and Silva ends with a cross towards Erling Haaland. The Norweigan is looking to pounce but is denies by Schlipp who jumps to head clear. Well defended.
This is end-to-end at Selhurst Park with City looking the more dangerous but struggling to break down the Palace defence. Whether it’s crosses into the box, link up play around the edge of the area or shots from range, Palace are standing firm and not giving a sniff away.
Palace look outnumbered whenever they are in possession but that isn’t stopping them from having a go with Olise and Zaha linking up well in the City half. A good move see’s the former interchange with Zaha who works his way into the box before shooting wide.
Erling Haaland has been outmuscled just inside the Crystal Palace box and has gone down wanting a penalty. Nothing in it.
I have no idea how Man City aren’t in front but Palace are slowly growing into this game as they attempt to find a way into proceedings. Zaha is starting to become more involved and that is only a good thing for Palace fans.
Jack Grealish has just snaked through the Crystal Palace defence and gone close again by putting his eventual shot just wide. City well on top so far!
Man City control the early exchanges and win their first corner that almost ends in a goal for the visitors as Guaita makes a huge save from Rodri. The shot is hit brilliantly well and it is an amazing reactionary save from the goalkeeper.
And we are underway for tonight’s Premier League kick-off beween Crystal Palace and Man City
Warm-ups are complete, managers are going through their final pre-match pep talks and we are just moments away from kick-off at Selhurst Park so grab your cups of tea/coffee/beer and get ready for a hopefully brilliant Premier League match.
Some Crystal Palace supporters appear to be standing in solidarity with Gary Lineker over the BBC’s decision to axe the presenter from Saturday’s Match of the Day show, with banners spotted in the stands at Selhurst Park before kick-off.
Lineker was in attendance for Leicester’s home hammering against Chelsea earlier today and some inside the ground at Palace are holding up signs that read ‘Gary Lineker for Prime Minister’.
Quite simply this is a huge match for Manchester City if they want to put pressure on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table. Victory would see them close the gap to just five points, with Arsenal set to take on Fulham tomorrow, however defeat would leave them five points adrift and facing the prospect of being eight behind by the end of the weekend.
A two point gap would see many continue to fancy City to win the title despite Arsenal’s brilliant form, while an eight point difference is a huge void to make up between now and the end of the season. Arsenal could realistically drop two points, maybe even five, but eight seems unimaginable.
Defeat today could spell the end of Man City’s title hopes.
While our attention is fully focused on this Premier League clash between Crystal Palace and Man City, there has also been huge focus on whether the BBC’s Match of the Day show will go ahead tonight.
The BBC made the decision to axe Gary Lineker from hosting tonight’s show over a recent tweet and have seen a mass exodus of pundits, presenters, and commentators refuse to take part in the highlights show over the organisations actions.
But the show WILL air tonight, however will only be 20 minutes long. You can read our full story below.
Man City have blown teams away in recent years, but trips to Crystal Palace haven’t always been the easiest of ties for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The reigning Premier League champions have won just two of their last four visits to Selhurst Park with 0-0 draws in the middle of both of their victories.
Palace have also frustrated City at the Etihad, stunning the visitors last season in a two-nil away win last season. Oh how the hosts could do with similar fortunes today!
So with just over 30 minutes until kick-off, let’s run you through the results from elsewhere in the Premier League today with 3pm matches just finishing around the grounds with big wins for both Spurs and Chelsea.
Early kick-off: Bournemouth 1-0 Liverpool
Tottenham 3-1 Nottingham Forest
Leeds 2-2 Brighton
Everton 1-0 Brentford
Leicester 1-3 Chelsea
All eyes were on the Man City teamsheet to see if Kyle Walker would start today after Cheshire Police launched an investigation into the full-back’s behaviour after allegations of indecent exposure were made following a video circulating on social media.
A report in the Sun claimed Walker pulled down his trousers to flash at a bar, fondled a blonde woman’s breasts and kissed her in shameful moments caught on video.
Pep Guardiola refused to comment further on the matter in Friday’s pre-match press conference and said the issue was a private matter.
And here is how today’s hosts line-up to take on Manchester City with Palace boss Patrick Vieira also making two changes to the team that lost against Aston Villa last weekend. Eze drops to the bench in place of Schlupp with Milivojevic replacing the suspendes Doucoure.
The team to take on City 👊
🤝 @shophumm#CPFC | #CRYMCI
Here’s how Pep Guardiola’s title-chasing Manchester City line-up for their trip to the capital with the Spaniard making two changes from the team that beat Newcastle 2-0 last time out. Kyle Walker drops to the bench and is surprisingly joined by Kevin de Bruyne which will be a big worry to City fans.
🦅 TEAM NEWS 🔵
XI | Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Gundogan (C), Foden, Grealish, Haaland
SUBS | Ortega Moreno, Walker, Phillips, Laporte, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Mahrez, Palmer, Lewis#ManCity | @HaysWorldwide pic.twitter.com/wAS6fPgfZb
The players have been making their way into Selhurst Park and are heading into their respective dressing rooms to change and make their way out onto the turf for warm-ups. So let’s run you through the team news…
If ever there was a case of a season of two halves then Crystal Palace have been it this campaign under Patrick Vieira.
The Frenchman was a breath of fresh air when he walked through the door at Selhurst Park and started the season in fine form beating the likes of Aston Villa, Leeds, Wolves, Southampton and holding on to take points away from Liverpool and Brentford to put themselves seemingly out of reach of the Premier League relegation zone.
But with the new year came a new run of form and crakcs began to appear in defeats against Chelsea, Spurs, and Man United along with uninspiring draws versus Newcastle and Brighton.
Goals have been a big issue with Palace scoring just FOUR time in the league s since the start of the new year. Defeat today would see them remain just four points above the drop zone.
Today’s midday clash saw Bournemouth stun Liverpool after the south coast side held on to claim a famous – and desperately needed – win over Jurgen Klopp’s Champions League chasing Reds.
Liverpool were expected to walk their way into the Premier League’s top four against a Bournemouth side that started the day at the bottom of the table, but were unable to rediscover the form that saw them blow away Manchester United 7-0 last weekend.
It was a reality check for Liverpool and you can catch up on every key moment – including Mohamed Salah’s awful penalty – in our match report below.
Kick-off at Selhurst Park will get underway at 5.30 with the 3pm Premier League fixtures entering their final 30 minutes of action and tonight’s match is a big one at both ends of the table.
Manchester City can close the gap to league leaders Arsenal to just two points ahead of the Gunners’ London derby against Fulham tomorrow.
While Crystal Palace are still desperately searching for a first Premier League win of 2023. Defeat would see them further dragged into an unwanted relegation scrap and increase the already strenuous pressure on Patrick Viera’s shoulders.
Good afternoon and welcome to Sportsmail’s live blog of Saturday’s late Premier League kick-off between Crystal Palace and Manchester City
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