Before the International break, the entire stakeholders of the English Premiership were in shock when newly promoted Wolverhampton defeated EPL’s title holders Manchester City at Etihad Stadium 0-2. Giving Liverpool more comfort at the top of the league table.
Following Manchester City’s loss to Wolves two weekends ago, Liverpool who last lost an EPL game in 2018 eased their lead on the EPL table with 8 points leaving Manchester City with an almost impossible task of defending the title they won last season after a very tight contest with league leaders.
City will now have to rely on out of form Neighbours Manchester United to pull a shocker on blazing hot Liverpool when they meet on Sunday. A win for Manchester city on Saturday and United on Sunday will help reduce the gap between the League leaders and the defending champions to 5pts.
With Liverpool set to face Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Arsenal in the next three matches with Champions League play sprinkled in, now is the time for Manchester City to pounce and regain balance in the EPL title race.
Pep Guardiola leads Man City to Selhurst Park with a hefty eight point distance between them and the Reds atop the Premier League table, looking to make a dent in the differential as they face Crystal Palace on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Kevin De Bruyne has been on fire despite his injury troubles, with eight assists in league play this season, double anyone else in the league. Unfortunately, the Man City defense has not followed suit, with the squad banged up and conceding twice to Wolves before the international break and recording just three clean sheets this season. The nine goals they’ve conceded thus far is triple what they allowed through the first eight matches of last season in fact, it took them until a Week 16 loss to Chelsea to concede nine league goals..
Now, they face an in-form Crystal Palace side challenging for a European place to begin the season, having won its last two and four of its last six. They have been excellent at home, going unbeaten in four this season in league play. They aren’t dominating teams, but they’re earning results and sit sixth in the table with 14 points. What’s more, they’re doing all this without stalwart defender James Tomkins, who struggled with a groin injury early in the season and has suddenly found his place in the squad snatched up by Martin Kelly and Gary Cahill who are performing well together at Selhurst Park.
Pep Guardiola’s side ended a two-match sequence without a win against Crystal Palace in April with a 3-1 away victory but will know they cannot afford to slip up again after defeats against Norwich and Wolves.
Will Guardiola get hold of City failing floppy defense? Will they grasp the needed three points from their host? Or will the game be another repetua of the two weekends ago?… this and more will be unveiled as city battles to close up the league gap with Liverpool.
Other EPL fixtures : Everton V West Ham United, AFC Bournemouth V Norwich City, Aston Villa V Brighton & Hove Albion Chelsea V Newcastle United, Leicester City V Burnley, Tottenham Hotspur V Watford, Wolverhampton Wanderers V Southampton
