Manchester City returns to Etihad Stadium for EPL Matchweek 4 as they host Crystal Palace on Saturday, Aug. 27.
Manchester City looked human against Newcastle United for the first time this season during Sunday’s 3-3 draw. Though they took an early 1-0 lead, they let in three unanswered goals. However, City flexed their strength and fought back to walk away with a point.
Following their loss to Arsenal to kick off the season, Crystal Palace has looked strong in their last two matches. They drew 1-1 against Liverpool and most recently beat Aston Villa 3-1. Wilfried Zaha has been pivotal in their success, scoring three goals in the past two matches.
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During the 2021-22 Premier League season, Man City lost only three times to two teams, one being Crystal Palace, and it was their biggest defeat (2-0). Their second match against the Eagles finished in a draw. Will Manchester City have better luck this season? Or will Crystal Palace continue to give the defending champions trouble?
Let’s take a look at current betting odds and get some best bets and predictions for this match taking place on Saturday, Aug. 27.
Gio Annatelli’s EPL betting record: 5-7, -0.57 units
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace Odds
- 3-Way Handicap: Manchester City (-650) | Crystal Palace (+1300) | Draw (+675)
- Draw No Bet: Manchester City (-5000) / Crystal Palace (+1200)
- Over/Under Goals: Over 3.5 (-110) / Under 3.5 (-125)
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace odds are current as of Monday, Aug. 22, from BetMGM Sportsbook, unless otherwise noted.
Crystal Palace has left the Etihad Stadium with seven points in their previous five matches, with three of those points coming last season.
However, Manchester City is the best team in the Premier League, and along with playing in front of the home crowd, they are heavily favored in this match.
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace Betting Tips
Look for Manchester City to score early
Even when they went down 3-1 in the second half, the Sky Blues continued to attack Newcastle and scored two goals within three minutes of each other. They were not satisfied with the draw and continued to attack but ultimately walked away with one point.
They started strong last match with a goal in the 5th minute from Ilkay Gündoğan, but not only were City unable to capitalize on their chances, but the Newcastle counterattack also got the best of them.
Man City will look to take the momentum from the second half into the start of this match. Crystal Palace is coming off a big 3-1 victory over Aston Villa, so they do not want to fall behind early in front of the City faithful.
Palace will need to capitalize on opportunities
In every match this season, the Sky Blues have controlled over 60% of the possession time. That should not change in this match, so the Eagles must capitalize on every chance they get.
Though they controlled the possession time against Arsenal and Aston Villa, they were dominated by Liverpool on the road, as they controlled 27% of the possessions and had seven shots (three on target). Newcastle had just six shots on net against Manchester City but was able to score on half of them.
Crystal Palace will look to play on their heels to try and limit the Man City attack, so they will need to rely on the counterattack. As a result, their chances will be limited, and every shot will matter.
Expect plenty of goals
It was expected that the last match for Man City to be low-scoring since both clubs entering the game had yet to concede a goal, but the floodgates were opened early on. Palace are coming off a high-scoring match, so they will look to carry that into this match.
Erling Haaland leads the team with three goals, and captain Gündoğan is right behind him with two goals. Man City has a total of five players that have scored this season. For Crystal Palace, the scoring didn't come alive until the last match, with Zaha putting two in the back of the net.
Manchester City conceded three goals to Newcastle, so they will let one or two through in this one. Oppositely, Crystal Palace will struggle to contain Man City.
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace Prediction
Manchester City 4-2 Crystal Palace
The one thing the draw did was show that Manchester City is human and can make mistakes. While a draw will not happen in this matchup, Crystal Palace, on the back of Zaha, will make it a close match.
Man City are resilient, as shown coming back from a 3-1 deficit, so even if they fall behind, they will not stay there for long. They scored four in their last match at home and should do the same again.
Manchester City vs Crystal Palace Best Bets
➕ Over 3.5 Goals (-110) at BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
Both clubs enter this match coming off high-scoring games, so that should carry over when they face off against one another.
Even if this is a one-sided affair in favor of Man City, they have the scoring capability to hit the over on their own. With five different players in the goal column this season for the Sky Blues, they are not afraid to share the wealth.
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➕ Manchester City to Win & Both Teams to Score (+165) at BetMGM
WAGER: 1 Unit
While Crystal Palace forced a draw against Liverpool, they will not see similar success against Manchester City, as they are one of the top clubs in the Premier League. Also, Palace is on the road, giving City the advantage.
Newcastle was the first club to score on Man City this season and did so in a shocking fashion. While the Eagles might not give the Sky Blues the same scare Newcastle did, they will still be able to sneak one in on the road.
- Bet on Manchester City at BetMGM.
➕ Wilfried Zaha: Anytime Goalscorer (+550) at PointsBet
WAGER: 0.5 Units
The homegrown player has been hot to start the season, scoring in two straight matches, and will continue his streak against Man City. With three goals on the year, Zaha is on pace to surpass his total from last season (14), which would be a career-best in the Premier League.
Zaha is the main scoring option for Crystal Palace, as he is one of two players on the team with a goal. He scored the initial goal against Liverpool and netted the game-winner against Aston Villa.
As one of the top goalscorers in the early part of this season, look for Zaha to keep it going.
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