Manchester City will travel to Selhurst Park on Friday evening for their opening away fixture of the 2026-27 Premier League season against Crystal Palace. The visitors will aim to capitalise on momentum following a dramatic comeback victory at home the previous weekend.
Crystal Palace enter the contest seeking their first points of the campaign after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Everton in their season opener. The hosts recently appointed Pierre Sage as manager, who arrives following a successful tenure at RC Lens, replacing Oliver Glasner in the role.
Manchester City face limited injury concerns heading into the clash, with Belgian winger Jeremy Doku sidelined by a calf injury sustained during the Community Shield loss to Arsenal. Midfielder Elliot Anderson has recovered from cramping issues and should feature, while midfielder Matheus Nunes continues his fitness rehabilitation. New signing Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder recently acquired from Lille, is available for selection and deemed ready to contribute immediately, though may initially operate from the bench.
Manager Enzo Maresca may replicate recent tactical adjustments, having deployed centre-back Marc Guehi in midfield during the previous fixture with positive results. Rayan Cherki’s creative contributions, including two assists in the previous match, suggest he could feature prominently at Selhurst Park if fully fit.
