Manchester City face a tough trip to Selhurst Park today to take on Crystal Palace. The hosts will be desperate for three points today to aid in their quest to move away from the relegation zone. Pep Guardiola’s side will enter today’s game battling injury and fatigue as City’s injury crisis continues to grow. It will take a team effort for Pep Guardiola’s side to leave Selhurst Park with all three points today. But that is the only way the champions will emerge victorious later today.
Selhurst Park has typically been a tough ground for Pep Guardiola’s side to play at. Palace usually gives the world champions a game whenever they visit London. But today’s fixture will see Manchester City enter the game with a depleted squad. City’s injuries have especially hit the champions defence hard.
Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, Oscar Bobb, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Phil Foden [are all out](https://esteemedkompany.com/2024/12/06/injuries-have-hit-the-manchester-city-squad-hard-before-crystal-palace-clash/) of today’s match due to injury. Manuel Akanji is in doubt after picking up an injury concern against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday evening. The loss of Stones, Ake and potentially Akanji puts tremendous strain on City’s defence. That’s where it will require a team effort from Pep Guardiola’s side to leave London with all three points today.
City’s leaders such as Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne (if he starts), Bernardo Silva and even Erling Haaland will be pivotal today. They must lift their teammates against a plucky opponent today. In the case of Kyle Walker he hasn’t been in the best form so far this season. But perhaps the challenge like the one he and his team faces today may be what he needs to get back on track. If he can lead his team to a crucial victory today it may turn his season around. But he will need his teammates to track back and help out in defence. The same can be said all over the pitch as it will take the entire Manchester City lineup working together to win today.
Speaking during his [pre-game press conference](https://www.mancity.com/citytv/mens/pep-guardiola-jack-grealish-crystal-palace-manchester-city-63869109) yesterday Pep Guardiola explained that his entire squad is battling fatigue at the moment. Based on his statement the only way Manchester City will overcome Crystal Palace is together. Guardiola had this to say when speaking about the condition of his squad: “_All the players, we are struggling for the fitness conditions right now, for the injured players and the players who are fit. So that’s why I said; it depends how they are going to feel in the next games._”
Sometimes wins that come in the face of adversity mean the most. They can lay down a marker for what lies ahead. That is the situation that Manchester City are facing today when they take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. They are depleted and tired but they must pick up three points today. It will.take a team effort to do that but that’s what will be required for Pep Guardiola’s side to win later today.