PREVIEW: Manchester City v Crystal Palace

[dropcap]B[/dropcap]ear with me here. If Man City beat Crystal Palace 5-0 and Chelsea lose to Stoke on Monday – Man City will be top of the table.

OK, so that’s a highly unlikely scenario but it does show that the people who had written off the title as Chelsea’s weeks ago have got it badly wrong as there is still a heck of a long way to go.

We enter the busy Christmas period and Man City are on stage first taking on Palace in the 12.45pm kick off.

No surprise to see that Man City are very short priced favourites despite a mounting injury list which now includes Vincent Kompany and Edin Dzeko who picked up injuries at Leicester. City also remain without Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic.

Man City (from): Hart, Caballero, Zabaleta, Sagna, Demichelis, Mangala, Boyata, Kolarov, Clichy, Milner, Navas, Silva, Nasri, Toure, Fernando, Fernandinho, Lampard, Pozo.

Crystal Palace (from): Speroni, Hennessey, Kelly, Fryers, Delaney, Mariappa, Dann, Ward, Hangeland, Jedinak, Bannan, McArthur, Bolasie, Thomas, Puncheon, Zaha, Gayle, Campbell, Johnson.

City are now in a rich vein of form – winning their last seven games including Champions League successes against Bayern Munich and Roma.

Palace have been beaten by Man City in their last six encounters and have not won at Man City since December 1990.

Man City v Crystal Palace
Premier League
12.45pm LIVE ON BT SPORT

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
Apr 2014 Premier C Palace 0-2 Man City
Dec 2013 Premier Man City 1-0 C Palace
Aug 2009 Carling Cup C Palace 0-2 Man City
Jan 2005 Premiership Man City 3-1 C Palace
Sep 2004 Premiership C Palace 1-2 Man City
Mar 2002 Div 1 Man City 1-0 C Palace
Dec 2001 Div 1 C Palace 2-1 Man City
Mar 2000 Div 1 C Palace 1-1 Man City
Sep 1999 Div 1 Man City 2-1 C Palace
Jan 1997 Div 1 Man City 1-1 C Palace

Things are looking bleak for Crystal Palace who have slumped to a run of just one win from their last 10 games and have only won one of eight away games so far this season.

Palace are hovering just one point above the relegation zone and I’m not sure their fortunes can improve here.

I think Man City will go on the rampage and I am backing them on the three way handicap with Star Sports with a -2 goal start at around 9/4 with Star Sports.

RECOMMENDED BETS (scale of 1-50 points)

BACK MAN CITY (-2) to beat CRYSTAL PALACE at around 9/4 for 8 points with Star Sports

RETURN SINCE START OF WORLD CUP: PROFIT 33.88 POINTS

What’s your view? CALL STAR SPORTS 08000 521 321