Crystal Palace 2-2 Manchester City: Eagles picking up form?published at 17:31 7 December 2024
17:31 7 December 2024
Emlyn Begley BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty Images
This is now four games unbeaten for Palace – although three of them have been draws.
There were plenty of positive signs from this game that they can climb up the table.
Will Hughes had one of his highly influential games with two fantastic assists for Palace defenders.
And he could have had a goal or two himself only for Ruben Dias to block his efforts.
Boss Oliver Glasner warned afterwards that they will never return to the team they were last season - but the 2024-25 side are definitely showing some positive signs now.
'After 2-1 we got too passive'published at 17:26 7 December 2024
17:26 7 December 2024
Image source, Getty Images
Oliver Glasner spoke to BBC Spory after Crystal Palace drew with Manchester City: We are pleased with the point and many parts of the performance. It feels like if we'd performed at our best level we could have won the game.
"We had a few other good opportunties.
"An unbeaten week with draws against Newcastle and Manchester City, everything is fine. We want to improve and get better in some situations and we could win those games.
"After having the lead twice, especially after 2-1 we got too passive. It's not that easy against City, it's not a crticism of the players but when you're in your own third it's a matter of time. A gap of one yard they find it with one or two touches.
"An amazing finish from Danny. They were missing several headers, defenders, it's an advantage. It's not easy to find where you're better than City. We have many.
"We never will see the team of last season because 10 players left us. The players are in a very good situation and shape. We have more and more options. The results give us confidence."
Crystal Palace 2-2 Man City - send us your thoughtspublished at 16:54 7 December 2024
Follow Saturday's Premier League games livepublished at 14:00 7 December 2024
14:00 7 December 2024
Four matches make up Saturday's Premier League action after the postponement of the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool because of adverse weather conditions, and we will bring you every moment.
Sutton's predictions: Crystal Palace v Man Citypublished at 10:52 7 December 2024
10:52 7 December 2024
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.
For week 15 he takes on Dougie Payne, bassist with rock band Travis.
Sutton's prediction: 1-2
Crystal Palace's win at Ipswich on Tuesday was huge for them, and it was comfortable enough in the end.
Manchester City finally returned to winning ways against Nottingham Forest - and it was a result they fully deserved - but are they really back?
What happens at Selhurst Park should give us an idea, and this is not an easy game for them. Forest had chances at Etihad Stadium when the score was 1-0 and I am still not convinced by City's defending.
They were much better going forward with Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku in the team against Forest, though.
Doku gave them the energy and ideas out wide that they have been missing and, while he is not the finished article, he is always a handful with his dynamism and the way he drives at teams.
On his day, he can be devastating and it might be a moment of magic from him that makes the difference here, and breaks down a stubborn Palace side.
Payne's prediction: 0-3
With De Bruyne back, City look like themselves again. I can see Erling Haaland scoring buckets of goals again soon, because he just looks so annoyed.
Glasner on Wharton, seeing improvements and Man Citypublished at 15:25 6 December 2024
15:25 6 December 2024
Katie Stafford BBC Sport journalist
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Manchester City (kick-off 15:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Adam Wharton has returned to training but Saturday's game comes too soon for the midfielder. Glasner "really hopes" he will be back to face Brighton and then the back-to-back games against Arsenal in the Premier League and Carabao Cup.
Centre-back Chadi Riad has also returned to training and "is doing really well" but he will need to play with the under-21s to build up his minutes.
Glasner said his team "are going in the right direction "because "the performances look quite stable at the moment and on a better level than before".
On why he thinks there has been progress: "There are more reasons than just confidence. We are physically in much better shape than we have been at the beginning of the season. The structure and how we are playing is getting more into their mind and into their body than it was at the beginning."
He said his side need to "work to be more efficient" in front of goal. He added: "Then you can miss more, but you also score more goals. It's also sometimes to be more confident with the ball. We give the ball away too easily in several moments, and then we have to work very hard to get it back."
On facing Manchester City: "We always enter a game with the belief in us that we can win the game, and this is the same tomorrow. We know the defending champions are coming. We believe that we have a chance to win the game."
He said City's attacking players "will be a lot to defend" and "there will be moments when they suffer and have to defend in a deep block" but he also does not want his team to just press them for 90 minutes.
Having won five of their seven Premier League home games under Oliver Glasner last season (D1 L1), Crystal Palace have won just one of their seven at Selhurst Park so far this season (D3 L3).
Palace draw up January transfer targetspublished at 16:48 5 December 2024
16:48 5 December 2024
Alex Howell BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Crystal Palace are targeting a left wing-back and an attacker as they prepare for the January transfer window.
The Eagles picked up their first away win of the season against Ipswich Town on Tuesday and have moved three points clear of the relegation zone.
Palace have had a slow start to the season, with results not going their way and injuries causing selection issues.
However, they plan to target those positions to boost their squad.
Palace retain an interest in Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki, a player they monitored in the summer.
A source with knowledge of any potential deal is also aware of interest in him from some of Europe's elite sides.
Meanwhile, Palace also have no intention of selling midfielder Adam Wharton in January.
The 20-year-old has been struggling with a groin injury since the start of the season and had surgery, but he has been followed by a number of top clubs since his Premier League breakthrough last season.
Catch up on the Premier League actionpublished at 07:52 5 December 2024
07:52 5 December 2024
Gary Lineker presents highlights and analysis from eight midweek Premier League fixtures.
Ipswich 0-1 Crystal Palace - the fans' verdictpublished at 09:28 4 December 2024
09:28 4 December 2024
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your thoughts after Tuesday's Premier League game between Ipswich and Crystal Palace.
Here are some of your comments:
Ipswich fans
Kieran: We struggle to break down teams who don’t take our invitation to press our back two. Both Everton and Crystal Palace have come to Portman Road and been happy to let us keep it at the back and then we don’t really know what to do next. Also lacking just that little bit of Premier League quality and physicality unfortunately.
James: Rather like the weekend's defeat at Nottingham Forest, this was a game of few chances that was decided by a sloppy goal from a defensive point of view. Both teams were nervy on the ball and seemed afraid to commit too many players to attack. We need to pick ourselves up again quickly for another tough home clash against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Adam: Worst performance of the season. So frustrating, passing back to keeper, no plan B. Plucky performances not translating into points and we are struggling to take points off those around us. Ominous signs.
Palace fans
Simon: A win was more important than the performance. We looked ordinary against a hard-working Ipswich team. We still aren't as fluid as we need to be but while it has been a disappointing first half of the season so far, there are positive signs and we can try to aim for 20 points by the halfway stage.
Tony: Palace were the better team over 90+ minutes and deserved the three points. They had a lucky escape when Ipswich hit the post but overall the points rightly went to south London.
Al: I felt Palace were in control through most of the game. The gameplan worked and nullified the opposition. Maxence Lacroix and Will Hughes had standout games. It could easily have been three goals with Eberechi Eze missing in the first half and Jean-Philippe Mateta missing in the second half when both were one on one with the keeper. Cheick Doucoure got a good 45 minutes and Jefferson Lerma fitted in well. The wing-backs were strong too.
'On the right path' - Glasner 'pleased' with win at Ipswichpublished at 07:34 4 December 2024
07:34 4 December 2024
Image source, Getty Images
Oliver Glasner spoke to the media after Crystal Palace's victory at Ipswich: "I feel very happy. It was not the best performance but the result was more important.
"Most of the time we controlled the game and we scored an amazing goal - a fantastic finish from JP [Mateta].
"We had more chances to decide the game. We couldn't but I think the win was well deserved. We didn't give them any chances from open play and with a clean sheet you can always take the win.
"It's a big win. Now it's not time to sit back and relax but to keep going. In four days we face Manchester City. We stay humble. There are still many things to improve but we are on the right path."