For a while, City didn’t look capable of matching the same level reached in their title-winning campaigns.
Whilst Erling Haaland remains prolific in front of goal and Phil Foden recently appears to be back in form, City are still finding their feet in defence.
Both Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen have scored twice against City in the Champions League, the latter in a shock 2-0 win at the Etihad.
City did see off Leeds and Fulham in back-to-back thrillers recently, but both games showed a real vulnerability at the back. However, the midweek win in the Spanish capital against European giants Real Madrid, will have given them an extra boost of confidence ahead of their arrival in South London.
### **The Boss: Pep Guardiola**
The most decorated manager of the modern generation, Pep Guardiola’s career in European football has been as transformative as it has been successful.
His Barcelona side will go down as one of the greatest in the history of the game, with success in Germany with Bayern Munich and a dominant spell in England cementing his legacy.
He has also shown a tactical flexibility in recent years, away from a rigid possession-based approach he was associated with early in his coaching journey. This flexibility was key to the historic treble win in 2022/23.
However, 2024/2025 was, thanks in part to Palace's cup final win, only the second season without major silverware for Guardiola in England.
That's not a bad record since first moving here with Manchester City back in 2016. Surely he won't be satisfied going without a major honour again this season?