Crystal Palace vs Man City: Early Test for Maresca’s Champions
Manchester City opened their Premier League title defence with three points, but any sense of routine dominance vanished long before stoppage time against Bournemouth.
Enzo Maresca’s first league game in charge turned into a rescue act. City trailed from the 26th minute, short of rhythm and short of ideas, until two late interventions flipped the script. Marc Guéhi – back in south London this weekend in very different colours – rose to head an 84th-minute equaliser, before Josko Gvardiol smashed home a dramatic 2-1 winner deep into added time.
The real jolt came from the bench. Rayan Cherki entered on 63 minutes and changed everything. Two assists, both decisive, both threaded with the kind of imagination City had been missing for an hour. Maresca may have left with a win, but he also left with a clear reminder: this version of City is still under construction.
Guéhi’s new role, Haaland’s quiet milestone
Guéhi’s display will fascinate Palace fans as much as City supporters. Used in an unorthodox holding midfield role, the former Eagles defender looked unnervingly assured. He completed 56 of 59 passes, won all three of his tackles and, of course, scored the equaliser that kick-started City’s comeback.
Maresca might need more improvisation in the middle at Selhurst Park. Elliot Anderson, the £116 million summer signing tasked with giving City fresh drive, is listed as unavailable with a knee problem. That removes a major piece from the manager’s tactical puzzle just as the season begins to take shape.
Erling Haaland, meanwhile, hit his 200th club appearance without leaving much of a mark. For a striker who measures games in goals, the performance felt flat. He will not want a second straight outing on the periphery.
Palace promise undermined by familiar failings
Palace arrive off the back of a 2-0 home defeat to Everton that looked worse on the scoreboard than on the pitch. Pierre Sage’s side controlled 58% of the ball, carved out chances, struck the woodwork twice – and still walked away with nothing.
There were positives. Adam Wharton dictated long stretches of play, while Eddie Nketiah repeatedly found space and forced an outstanding save from Jordan Pickford. Jean-Philippe Mateta also hit the post, a reminder of his threat even as an off-field contract dispute continues to hang over him.
The real damage came at the other end. Defensive lapses gifted Everton their openings, and Palace paid full price.
More troubling is the injury list. Chadi Riad was stretchered off with a serious knee problem and has been ruled out of the City clash, stripping Sage of a key defensive option. Ismaïla Sarr missed the Everton game amid transfer talks with Galatasaray, adding another layer of uncertainty to an attack that already feels in flux.
History leans City’s way – but so does the chaos
The numbers lean heavily towards the champions. Palace have lost four of their last six meetings with City in all competitions, and Maresca’s side travel to south London as clear favourites again.
Yet this is not the iron-clad City of old. They have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven consecutive matches and still look vulnerable when opponents break quickly. That fragility in transition offers Palace a sliver of opportunity – especially if Nketiah, Mateta and Wharton can turn promising positions into ruthless moments.
Selhurst Park has ruined big afternoons before. With City still finding their shape and Palace searching for a statement under Sage, this early-season meeting already carries the feel of a test: are the champions simply shaking off rust, or is there a crack for someone brave enough to drive straight through it?
