Factfile
- Manager: Pep Guardiola
- League Position: 2nd
- Ground: Etihad Stadium
- Founded: 1880 (145 years ago)
In their manager's words...
Pep Guardiola was absent from his pre-match press conference due to a personal matter on Friday. In his place, assistant first-team coach Kolo Toure addressed the media, stating Palace would pose a tough challenge to City side in good form.
“They are a top team and really good, fourth,” Toure said.
“It is difficult to score against them [Palace] and they are second best in the league at [not] conceding goals.
“But for us we focus on what we can do. If we play our football and work hard we feel we can beat any team in this league.”
Toure also confirmed that Guardiola would be in the Selhurst dugout on Sunday, and said of City's current impressive run of form – which has incorporated 11 wins in 14 matches: "The team is playing the same football that they used to play.
"One thing we have had is fighting for the second ball. We know that the Premier League is a physical league. When you have the ball it is top, but when you don't have the ball you have to fight. That is the difference from last season."






