Crystal Palace v Manchester City: Eagles can contribute in City success

• Palace have scored in 18 of their last 21

• City still missing key defensive cogs

• Citizens have managed just 3/14 away clean sheets

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Crystal Palace v Manchester City
Saturday April 6, 12:30
Live on TNT Sports

New Crystal Palace 11.0010/1 coach Oliver Glasner called on his players to be more proactive in front of goal after seeing the Eagles slide to a 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth in midweek.

Palace adapted to the horrible conditions on the south coast and were well on their way to a hard-earned point when the Cherries scored the only goal of the game in 79th minute.

With eight games remaining, Glasner's group are eight points above the relegation zone and should be safe for another season of Premier League football. But the Eagles have tasted success just once in their last eight encounters and the Austrian has demanded an improvement of standards in the final-third ahead of the showdown against Man City.

Glasner said, "If you don't score a goal you can't win. We had many good situations. You need to shoot. Maybe we have to improve, be more decisive in offensive positions. We played well in the second-half but we have to be more direct and not passing and passing. Take the shots. We have to be efficient. If you are not efficient you lose everywhere."

Phil Foden struck a stunning hat-trick as Manchester City 1.351/3 continued to apply pressure to Premier League title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool with a commanding 4-1 win over Aston Villa at The Etihad in midweek. Pep Guardiola left Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne on the bench, but the reigning champions still had too much for a patched-up Villa side.

In their absence, Foden produced a masterclass to take his tally to 21 goals this season, but it was Rodri who struck first for City after 11 minutes when he swept home Jeremy Doku's cross at the near post. Villa were dangerous on the break and drew level nine minutes later, only for Foden to take charge with efforts from range to see City comfortably home.

Guardiola was happy with his team's performance after being bettered by Villa in the reverse encounter. He said, "We played a really good game - at Villa Park, they were better. But today we were the better team. Our wide players were really good; we missed a lot of chances, but we created a lot, and we could have scored more goals. I'm pleased."

Palace can contribute in City success

In midweek, Crystal Palace blanked for only the seventh time in the Premier League this term. The Eagles have tended to be consistent operators in the final-third, striking at least once in 18 of their previous 21 league dates, as well as 10 of 14 Selhurst Park showdowns - and with Glasner promoting front-foot football, the hosts should provide a threat.

With Manchester City still likely to be missing Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake, there's an opportunity for the Eagles to at least put the defending champions under pressure. After all, Pep Guardiola's mega-money group have managed only three clean sheets in 14 away EPL outings thus far, conceding in four of five trips to the current bottom-seven.

Nevertheless, it's difficult to dismiss the Citizens. City are W9-D1-L1 when travelling to teams outside the top-four and have therefore seen the Man City to win and Both Teams To Score selection pay-out in six of those nine away triumphs, making the 15/82.88 available on a repeat this weekend a little too big to ignore. It's my favourite fancy from the early kick-off.

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