Crystal Palace vs Man City Prediction, Odds, Lineups: Selhurst Park 2026

Key Points

• Manchester City face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in Friday’s Premier League Matchweek 2 opener on 28 August 2026.
• PrizePicks Team Picks lists Manchester City as road favorites at a 1.61x payout for a win, while a Crystal Palace victory pays 4.54x.
• Manchester City won their first match under manager Enzo Maresca 2-1 against Bournemouth, with goals from Marc Guéhi and late scorer Joško Gvardiol.
• Crystal Palace lost 2-0 to Everton in manager Pierre Sage’s debut, failing to score despite hitting the post twice and creating 1.96 expected goals.
• Manchester City beat Crystal Palace 3-0 in both league meetings last season and have not lost to them in Premier League play since 2021.
• The projected line-ups include squad changes for both clubs after a summer window that saw Pep Guardiola, Rodri, and Bernardo Silva depart Manchester City.

Crystal Palace (South London News) August 28, 2026 –As reported by Anthony Blanco of PrizePicks, Manchester City travel to the nation’s capital to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the opening fixture of Premier League Matchweek 2, with kick-off scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. The visiting Sky Blues enter the match as slight away favourites, returning a 1.61x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks with an outright victory. Both clubs head into the encounter following turbulent summer transitions and contrasting results in their respective Matchweek 1 openers, marking the beginning of a new era for two updated Premier League squads.

How Did Manchester City and Crystal Palace Perform in Matchweek 1?

As detailed by Anthony Blanco of PrizePicks, Manchester City secured their first official victory under new manager Enzo Maresca with a late 2-1 win against Bournemouth. The Sky Blues experienced visible growing pains during their season opener, spending the majority of the contest down 1-0 after an early deficit before executing a dramatic late comeback. Heroics from defender Marc Guéhi and an injury-time strike from Joško Gvardiol allowed the reigning league runners-up to escape with three points, despite struggling to establish their traditional dominance.

Conversely, as documented by Anthony Blanco of PrizePicks, Crystal Palace suffered a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Everton in their first competitive fixture under newly appointed manager Pierre Sage. Despite controlling possession and generating 1.96 expected goals (xG)—0.84 xG more than Everton—the South London club failed to find the back of the net. Palace missed all four big chances created throughout the match and hit the goalposts twice, leading the Premier League in woodwork hits after one week of play while leaving their defensive line exposed to fast transitions.

What Are the Key Historical Trends and PrizePicks Odds for the Match?

As reported by Anthony Blanco of PrizePicks, historical data heavily favours the visitors, with Crystal Palace failing to defeat Manchester City in the Premier League since 2021, losing six of their last nine head-to-head meetings. Last season, the Sky Blues swept the fixture list against Palace, claiming 3-0 victories in both league encounters while scoring six goals from a combined 2.85 xG. During those two fixtures, Manchester City averaged 67 per cent possession and saw midfielder Phil Foden contribute one goal and two assists.

As outlined by Anthony Blanco of PrizePicks, the live market figures on PrizePicks Team Picks display the following payout structures for Friday’s encounter:

As recorded by Anthony Blanco of PrizePicks, both clubs currently lead the Premier League in big chances missed following Matchweek 1. Manchester City managed six shots on target from 13 total attempts in their opener against Bournemouth while maintaining 66 per cent possession, continuing their tactical trend under Maresca.

What Are the Projected Starting Line-ups for Crystal Palace and Manchester City?

As projected by Anthony Blanco of PrizePicks, Crystal Palace are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation under Pierre Sage:

• Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson
• Defenders: Jaydee Canvot, Chris Richards, Takehiro Tomiyasu
• Midfielders: Anan Khalaili, Daichi Kamada, Adam Wharton, Tyrick Mitchell
• Forwards: Eddie Nketiah, Yéremy Pino, Jørgen Strand Larsen

As projected by Anthony Blanco of PrizePicks, Manchester City are expected to utilise a 4-2-3-1 setup under Enzo Maresca:

• Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma
• Defenders: Abdukodir Khusanov, Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol, Nico O’Reilly
• Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Marc Guéhi, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo
• Forward: Erling Haaland

What Is the Background of This Particular Development?

The fixture at Selhurst Park represents a pivotal transitional junction for both football clubs following an extraordinarily volatile summer transfer window and managerial carousel ahead of the 2026–27 Premier League campaign. Manchester City entered the off-season adjusting to the departure of manager Pep Guardiola, alongside the exits of core squad pillars including Rodri and Bernardo Silva. The appointment of Enzo Maresca introduced a major shift in tactical implementation and squad restructuring, marked by the prominent integration of new signings such as Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, and defender Marc Guéhi, who previously played for Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace underwent an equally fundamental transformation during the close season with the departure of their previous coaching staff and the hiring of French tactician Pierre Sage. Palace’s recruitment drive introduced multi-positional adjustments, bringing in Japanese international Takehiro Tomiyasu and forward Jørgen Strand Larsen to bolster the squad. Despite displaying immediate structural changes in possession during Matchweek 1 against Everton, Sage’s unit continues to adapt to new offensive patterns, seeking to replace lost finishing efficiency while attempting to fix defensive vulnerabilities on counter-attacks.

What Is the Prediction for How This Development Can Affect the Particular Audience?

For sports bettors, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) participants, and Premier League analysts tracking the 2026–27 campaign, this Matchweek 2 fixture provides a critical baseline for evaluating the trajectory of both restructured squads under their new tactical regimes.

For PrizePicks participants and wagering markets, Manchester City’s status as 1.61x road favorites reflects market trust in their superior individual attacking talent—led by Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, and Phil Foden—despite visible structural vulnerabilities during their opening weekend. However, the high expected goals generation from Crystal Palace (1.96 xG in Matchweek 1) alongside City’s defensive gaps suggests that the “Over 2.5 Goals” (1.66x) and “Both Teams to Score – Yes” (1.66x) markets represent key statistical metrics for dynamic player selection.

For the general footballing audience, the outcome at Selhurst Park will establish early indicators regarding Enzo Maresca’s ability to maintain Manchester City’s title-contending standard following Pep Guardiola’s departure. Conversely, a positive result or competitive defensive showing for Crystal Palace would validate Pierre Sage’s tactical framework, offering reassurance to the South London fanbase that their underlying offensive creation will eventually translate into points on the Premier League table.