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Crystal Palace hosts Manchester City in Premier League Matchweek 2 at Selhurst Park
Both clubs enter Friday's fixture under new managers, with City looking to build on their opening-day comeback and Palace desperate for first points of the season
Crystal Palace welcome Manchester City to Selhurst Park on Friday evening for a Premier League Matchweek 2 clash. Kickoff is set for 8pm BST on August 28, 2026, with the match broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK and NBC/Peacock in the US.
Pierre Sage’s Palace are hunting their first points of the campaign after opening with a 0-2 defeat away at Everton. Enzo Maresca’s City, meanwhile, arrive in south London with early-season confidence after a 2-1 comeback win against Bournemouth.
Both managers will have to adjust their plans around injury absences. Palace are without Ismaila Sarr, who is sidelined with a groin injury, and Chadi Riad, who continues to recover from a knee problem. City will be missing Jeremy Doku due to a calf issue.
Manchester City remain unbeaten in their recent Premier League visits to Selhurst Park, a run stretching back several seasons.
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Most pre-match forecasts lean heavily toward a City victory. The consensus predicted scorelines hover around 1-2 or 0-1. Betting markets have City as clear favorites.
The absence of Doku does marginally level the playing field. The Belgian winger’s ability to stretch defenses and create chaos in wide areas has been a consistent weapon in City’s arsenal. Without him, Maresca may need to rely more heavily on central creativity.
This match marks the first home league game for Crystal Palace under Sage. Manchester City’s squad depth was shown recently through contributions from players like Rayan Cherki, indicating they are ready to maintain their competitive edge.