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Manchester City face Crystal Palace this evening as they look to make it two wins from two in the Premier League.
Manchester City face Crystal Palace this evening in their first Premier League away game of the season.
Enzo Maresca's side picked up three points on their opening day of the campaign against Bournemouth, but it was far from a comfortable victory. The Blues needed late goals from Marc Guehi and Josko Gvardiol to secure the win, and tonight they will look to maintain their 100% record as they travel to Palace. Rayan Cherki assisted both goals on Sunday after coming off the bench at the Etihad and Maresca spoke on Thursday about the quality the Frenchman brings to City.
In terms of the team news, Maresca has confirmed that new signing Ayyoub Bouaddi could feature. Elliot Anderson is available after he limped off against Bournemouth last weekend, though Jeremy Doku is still sidelined and Matheus Nunes is a doubt.
We'll have build-up, updates and reaction from Selhurst Park in the blog below:
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39' CRY 0 CITY 1 - Palace on top
City are just looking a little ragged here in the last few minutes. There’s been a few miscommunications between teammates, players not marking their men or leaving loose balls to the other one, and Palace are right back in the game chasing an equaliser. City are still creating when they go forward but this is a riskier game for them because of that slackness that has crept in.
35' CRY 0 CITY 1 - Big chance
Wharton is to the fore for the home side and he whips in an inviting ball in but Mitchell, arriving at the back post, gets his header all wrong. A huge chance for Palace
32' CRY 0 CITY 1 - Booking
Wharton is impressing for Palace tonight and he wins a free kick after Cherki hauls him down just inside the City half. Booking for the playmaker.
Strand Larsen then flicks a header wide but he looked offside anyway
28' CRY 0 CITY 1 - All City
Foden has another chance after a lightning counter from City led by Cherki and O'Reilly. Cherki clips a cross into the box and Foden gets it all wrong six yards out in trying to nod it home
25' CRY 0 CITY 1 - City on top
Those are the kind of misses where you just hope that there’s an offside flag to reprieve you. There wasn’t for Foden and he should have done a lot better there. City are on top and looking for a second - they can’t look back with regret from this spell of the game but Foden will there.
21' CRY 0 CITY 1 - Big miss
Should be twofor City. Foden is found in acres of space about 10 yards out after neat interplay between Anderson and Haaland but he curls his shot well over. A huge miss.
19' CRY 0 CITY 1 - Lengthy celebrations as Dias gets instructions
That was a lengthy celebration - the ref ended up having to pull the City players back into their own half. Dias went to have a chat with Maresca and he then went to relay those ideas straightaway while his teammates were still making their way back to position.
18' CRY 0 CITY 1 - Good start
Multiple Palace players are trying to get the crowd more animated. That might suggest it is a bit flat - it’s not - but they clearly think that the home fans can be even more of a help as they look to stun City. It’s been a pretty composed start from City getting the ball down and that was a lovely goal.
GOALLLL Haaland
He loves scoring against Palace and that is nine in six against the Eagles now.
Loops a header in from Semenyo's ball in
11' CRY 0 CITY 0 - City gaps
Palace are finding too much space in the centre of the pitch in these early stages, City's midfield hasn't got a grip on the contest and Wharton is enjoying himself in the spaces available
9' CRY 0 CITY 0 - Encouraging signs
For the second week running, City are threatening from set-pieces. This time it’s a short job with Cherki and Semenyo combining and a decent effort from Anderson that Henderson could have done more to get away from danger. Promise going forwards.
7' CRY 0 CITY 0 - City so close
Oh City are close to the opener.
They take a corner short and Anderson forces a smart stop out of Henderson but the ball bounces into the box instead of away and as Dias scraps for it, Haaland prods it goalwards but Palace scramble it away
5' CRY 0 CITY 0 - City shape
Marc Guehi has indeed started in defence for City, while Nico O’Reilly is harder to position. He seems to be in that right channel of space that Elliot Anderson took up against Arsenal in the Community Shield, with Anderson a lone six tonight. There’s plenty of time for that to change.
2' CRY 0 CITY 0 - First chance
What a ball from Wharton that is, sends Nketiah away down the left channel and he gets a shot away despite the attention of Dias. Donnarumma down to make the save at the expense of a corner.
Kamada then gets a shot away which Anderson gets in the way off and Palace have another corner
1' CRY 0 CITY 0 - Away kit double
We are up and running with both sides in their away kits, for which there must be a reason but can't say I know what it is.
Anyway, City are lining up with O'Reilly in midfield as both teams settle into the contest
Kick off
Away we go then as City and Palace kick off the second Premier League weekend of the season.
Haaland wearing a black armband
Erling Haaland is wearing a black armband tonight for the King of Norway after his recent passing - if you are watching along and wondering.
Here come the teams
The two sides are making their way out onto the pitch with a light show greeting the teams in what is Palace's first home game of the new season. City in their black away kit
Kick off on its way
So the back four looks like Guehi alongside Dias with Khusanov at right back and Gvardiol at left back
That would see O'Reilly again in midfield, albeit this time in a less attacking role than last weekend against Bournemouth
Maresca clearly still finding out what works best in the early weeks of the campaign, particularly with the window open for a few more days yet
Transfers rated
If like me you are struggling to keep across all the business City have done this summer then you can catch up on all the done deals here
We have also given every transfer a rating as we judge the transfer dealings done by the Blues with the window closing on Tuesday at 11pm.
Maybe it's Guehi in defence after all!
Marc Guehi is currently warming up as a left centre-back, with Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias and Abdukodir Khusanov in a four-man defence. That suggests he will play there, with Nico O’Reilly further forward in midfield. How further forward he is remains to be seen - he could be 6, 8, or 10 at this rate.
Leadership key as Maresca eyes signings
Enzo Maresca wants to bring more leadership to the Manchester City ranks in the final few days of the transfer window, with the Blues still keen on Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez.
City have seen Rodri and Bernardo Silva depart from last season's leadership group, leaving skipper Ruben Dias and striker Erling Haaland as club captains. Maresca feels there is a shortfall of leadership and wants to address that before Tuesday night's deadline.
The Blues added Ayyoub Bouaddi for £85million this week to strengthen their midfield but City won't rush the 18-year-old as he beds into a new environment, and Maresca wants further additions that can offer leadership to a new and young squad.
He said: "We have experienced players, we have leaders and now we need to wait four or five more days when the transfer window closes to see if we can add one or two more captains to add to Ruben and Erling who at the moment are our two captains."
Read more here
Transfer talk
City can go top of the league tonight but there will be transfer news rumbling on in the background as the Blues look to pull off multiple deals in the final days of the window. Enzo Fernandez is the main one and his omission from the Chelsea squad for their league cup game last night will have given Blues optimism that they are making progress in their attempt to sign him. They like Iliman N'Diaye as well and also have other midfield irons in the fire - could Palace change their stance on selling Adam Wharton this summer? - so there could still be plenty of change from the team that plays tonight and what City end up looking like this season.
Enzo Fernandez was left out of Chelsea's squad on Thursday night amid Manchester City's transfer interest(Image: Pedro Porru/MB Media/Getty Images)
Weather watch
It’s sunny at Selhurst Park but it is also blustery. The elements can really have an impact inside this stadium and both teams are going to have to be aware tonight of these strong winds that can affect the ball in the air. Maresca likes the ball on the floor and City would be wise to try and keep it there for this game
Palace XI
No Mateta or Sarr for Palace who are both injured and have both been linked with an exit
Palace XI: Henderson, Tomiyaso, Richards, Khalaili, Mitchell, Canvot, Wharton, Kamada, Nketiah, Strand-Larsen, Pino.
Grealish uncertainty
Jack Grealish missed Manchester City's game with Crystal Palace amid uncertainty around his future. The 30-year-old is expected to leave the club either on loan or on a permanent deal before the transfer window closes on Tuesday, but has been involved in the last two City matches.
Grealish came off the bench against Arsenal in the Community Shield and then again in the late Premier League win over Bournemouth last weekend. He has continued to train with the first team, but has interest from former club Aston Villa and Everton - where he spent last season on loan - ahead of the summer transfer deadline.
City are looking to sign Iliman Ndiaye from Everton as they aim to add another forward to their squad in the coming days. Liverpool's Cody Gakpo is also an option, while Chelsea's £100m price tag for Pedro Neto looks to have put paid to City's interest there.
Read more here
Jack Grealish faces an uncertain future at Man City.(Image: Getty Images)
O'Reilly verdict
Nico O'Reilly describes the last few days, which have included that late win over Bournemouth and the City man being named PFA Young Player of the Year as a 'crazy week'
Says new signing Bouaddi can be "Calm on the ball, can dictate the play and control the game."
New date for Sunderland clash
Away from tonight for a moment, City's Premier League home game with Sunderland has been moved to Sunday, September 20, with a 2pm kick off
The game has had to be moved at short notice because the Blues are in Carabao Cup action on Thursday September 17 against Norwich. That tie is taking place on Thursday because United's home game with Brighton in the cup has been selected for live TV coverage and is taking place on the Wednesday. The cup ties come immediately after the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Sunday, September 13.
Guehi surprise
That looks like Marc Guehi in midfield again. I’m surprised, but there we are. Ayyoub Bouaddi is on the bench and it looks like Khusanov is in at right-back in the absence of Mathes Nunes. Rico Lewis is on the bench.
Team news confirmed
City make a change from that opening day win against Bournemouth with Lewis out and O'Reilly back to left back. Guehi continues in midfield
City XI: Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly; Guehi, Anderson, Cherki; Foden, Semenyo, Haaland
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