Manchester City's predicted lineup for their Premier League trip to Crystal Palace reveals a squad stretched thin by injuries and departures. Manager Enzo Maresca is expected to make several adjustments for Friday night's match at Selhurst Park. The champions, currently 7th in the Premier League with 3 points from one win, will be without the injured Jérémy Doku, R. McAidoo, and Matheus Nunes, who is battling a knock.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is the predicted starting goalkeeper. The back four is likely to see Rico Lewis at right-back, with club captain Rúben Dias partnering Marc Guéhi centrally. Guéhi, who was used in midfield during the 2-1 win over Bournemouth, is expected to return to his natural center-back role. Joško Gvardiol is set to start at left-back. Gvardiol scored the dramatic stoppage-time winner against Bournemouth, a positive sign after an injury-hit 2025-26 campaign. He had scored at least five goals in each of his previous seasons in Manchester.
The central midfield pairing is predicted to be Elliot Anderson and Nico O'Reilly. Anderson hobbled off with cramp during his official City debut last weekend but is expected to be fit. O'Reilly, a versatile player used further forward against Bournemouth, may drop into a deeper role against Palace. The club's major new signing, Ayyoub Bouaddi, is available following his reported $117 million move but might begin the match on the bench.
Phil Foden, the 2023-24 Premier League Player of the Season, is tipped to start on the right wing. Rayan Cherki, who delivered two assists from the bench last time out, could get the nod as the central attacking midfielder. With Doku injured and both Sávio and Omar Marmoush departed or departing, Antoine Semenyo is the predicted starter on the left wing. Leading the line will be Erling Haaland, last season's top scorer. Haaland has a formidable record against Friday's opponents, having scored eight goals in just six appearances against Crystal Palace.
The report highlights a lack of depth in midfield and attack as a significant concern for Maresca. Several first-team departures have left the squad looking thin, a situation compounded by current injuries. This places extra importance on the fitness of key players like Anderson and Nunes. City's early season form shows they have scored 2 goals and conceded 1, giving them a +1 goal difference.
Crystal Palace will pose a test, despite being blanked at Everton last weekend. Their own attacking players, Ismaïla Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta, have uncertain futures, which could impact their performance. For Manchester City, securing a positive result is important to build momentum early in the campaign and climb from their current 7th place in the standings. The predicted lineup shows Maresca adapting to his resources, relying on the experience of Dias and Haaland while integrating newer faces like Anderson and Cherki into a cohesive unit.
