Manchester City will hope to close the gap on Arsenal when they take on Crystal Palace today in the EPL.
City was a bit flat against Newcastle last week but they still did enough to win. Now they need to keep their foot on the throttle to try to reel Arsenal in.
City’s biggest issue here is probably their Champions League tie with RB Leipzig on Tuesday. Pep Guardiola will be shuffling his squad with that game in mind.
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Still, Phil Foden’s return to form is massive for them. He has given them a lift at the right moment and his imagination and energy could make the difference here too – if he plays.
Crystal Palace is winless in seven Premier League home games against Manchester City, failing to score in five of them, since a 2-1 victory in April 2015 (D2, L5).
Manchester City’s nine most recent league goals in this fixture have come after halftime.
City has dropped 20 points this season, compared to 21 in the whole of 2021-22.
Phil Foden can score in four successive Manchester City appearances in all competitions for the first time. He needs one league goal to reach a career-best 10 in a season.
Kevin De Bruyne is one short of 100 career league goals.
Leicester City vs Chelsea
Leicester have lost their past three league games and also went out of the FA Cup. They are struggling, and their manager Brendan Rodgers is coming under a bit of pressure.
Chelsea’s Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday was huge for their season and Graham Potter’s side can build on that.
Leicester’s solitary victory in their past six home league games against Chelsea was 2-0 in January 2021 (D2, L3).
Their most recent competitive win versus Chelsea was in the 2021 FA Cup final at Wembley.
Chelsea won this season’s reverse fixture 2-1 in August and are looking to complete their first league double over Leicester since 2016-17.
The Blue’s current 10-match winless away streak in all competitions is their longest since going 17 without victory from April 2000 to January 2001.
Bournemouth vs Liverpool
Liverpool triumphed 9-0 in this season’s reverse fixture, equalling the biggest win in Premier League history.
Bournemouth’s only win in 18 matches against Liverpool in all competitions was by 4-3 in the Premier League at Vitality Stadium in December 2016.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp may pick the same starting line-up which began Sunday’s 7-0 win against Manchester United.
The great debate now, of course, after Jurgen Klopp’s side walloped Manchester United, is ‘are Liverpool back?’.
Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest
Tottenham is vying to win a fourth consecutive league game against Nottingham Forest, which they last achieved between August 1963 and December 1964.
Forest have not beaten Spurs since a 1-0 win at White Hart Lane on 1 March 1997.
Spurs have failed to score a first-half goal in 20 of their last 25 matches in all competitions.
Tottenham’s record after 26 Premier League games (W14, D3, L9) is the same as at the corresponding stage last season, when they won eight of their final 12 matches to finish fourth.
They are aiming to win four consecutive home league fixtures without conceding for the first time since March 2018.
Saturday fixtures of the EPL
Crystal Palace vs Manchester City (6.30 pm)
Leicester City vs Chelsea (4 pm)
Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest (4 pm)
Bournemouth vs Liverpool (1.30 pm)
Leeds vs Brighton (4 pm)
Everton vs Brentford (4 pm)
