Alan Pardew and his staff will have bags aplenty on the bench tonight and maybe, just maybe, he will have an abacus to hand. Why?

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In his last eight meetings with Manchester City, the 53-year-old has been driven mad, losing by an aggregate score of 23-3.

David Silva, Yaya Toure, wide to Gael Clichy but his cross is thumped away. Back come Manchester City through Aguero, surging, he wants shooting space but gets squeezed out. Good defending. A good positive start at both ends.

David Pleat
BBC Radio 5 live at Selhurst Park

"There won't be a better move all night. There was no offside flag at all. It's a chance missed at the back post. It would be a great scalp for Crystal Palace and Alan Pardew if they can defeat Manchester City. If they win at home again they will be making a real statement. Maybe they will be able to attract top players here next season."

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What a chance. I'll say it again, what a chance.

Martin Kelly takes up a wide position for Palace and gets the ball near the angle of the 18-yard box, a first-time cross low across goal is begging to be finished, Jason puncheon has a go, air shot, Wilfried Zaha has a go, over.

He was six yards out, racing in from the right to meet it. It was a stretch but still, a golden chance.

We are under way and Joel Ward whacks a clearance out for a throw in off Edin Dzeko. As both sides go direct with early passes. No tippy, tappy early on, territory game.

Crystal Palace manger Alan Pardew talks to Sky Sports: "It's a dangerous game for us. If we haven't got that hunger and concentration we'll get embarrassed.

"I don't expect that to happen because of how strong the group is.

"We can have flurries, 10-minute spells when we can undo anyone. We're going to need three or four of them tonight."

Here come the sides.

"I'm feeling, glad all over," sing the home faithful as the PA system belts out the club's welcome anthem. City look business like as they emerge with their traditional sky blue tracksuit tops on.

David Silva is stretching, no sign of his magic wand yet. He limbers up his arms. His feet will more likely do the talking.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini: "We need to win today. Our only target is to win our games. If Chelsea drop points, we'll fight for the title until the end."

David Pleat
Former Tottenham manager on BBC Radio 5 live:

Former Tottenham manager David Pleat on BBC Radio 5live: "Palace will be buoyed by their recent form and will be relaxed, but that can work for you or against you.

"It won't be an easy game for Manchester City that's for sure. If they have any chance of winning the title they have to win games like this. They have to be strong.

"And while they've got David Silva in their side they've always got a chance. I always enjoy watching him and I'll enjoy watching him again tonight."

The players have just trotted in for a final chat before kick-off.

Warm-up drills done, talking over, pressure on, let's go.

Chelsea champions by 22:00 BST?

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Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew tells BBC Radio 5 live: "It's a difficult game, but we're in good form. We have a points total which gives us a bit of respite, we need points but tonight is not essential.

"This (City team) is the basis the team that won the Premier League last year. It's a tough test.

"Edin Dzeko did well here last year, they tell me although I wasn't the manager then, and he'll be buoyed by that. There's certainly a lot attacking flair on the pitch. You can't see 0-0 that's for sure."

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It has been nearly a year since Manchester City have won in London - a 2-0 triumph at Selhurst Park.

The capital has given up just three draws and a defeat at West Ham this season.

What is it about London that make City come over all wobbly legged these days? Not enough gravy, too many champagne bars?

Speaking of sackings, our debate on whether Manchester City should part company with Manuel Pellegrini should they not win the Premier League is now also open on the BBC Sport Facebook page., external

Colin Cranmer: No they shouldn't, coming from a City fan, bring a few in, in the summer and we'll get it back again.

Casey Slater: David Moyes , and i'm definitely not a Man Utd fan...

We think you are Casey.

Harry Ewbank: Pellegrini should go but while Guardiola has a job there will be no one who can win them the Champions League or a treble.

John Motson
BBC Match of the Day commentator

"The key result today was probably Rotherham winning and that has maybe put survival beyond Wigan.

"They punched above their weight for many years under Roberto Martinez getting to the FA Cup final. But they have gone through this strange phase of going through four managers.

"They have obviously decided that they want to start again but whoever takes over will be doing it in League One."

Ian Dennis
BBC Radio 5 live

"The fact is Malky Mackay's failed to win a home game since he won at November. If Wigan are trying to cling onto any hope of holding onto their Championship status with five games left and eight points behind, then they had no alternative. If they wanted that jolt, that impact to force a change."

We make Malky Mackay's reign 138 days at the DW Stadium.

If Manchester City and manager Manuel Pellegrini are under pressure, how must Wigan chairman David Sharpe have been feeling in the last hour or two?

The 23-year-old has barely got his feet under his desk since taking charge of the club from his grandfather - Dave Whelan - before he made the decision to sack Malky Mackay as manager.

"This is a very difficult decision to make," said Sharpe in a statement. "But I feel that for the long-term future of the club, there needs to be a change now."

Manchester City must win all eight of their remaining Premier League fixtures to stand any chance of reclaiming the title, according to winger Jesus Navas.

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The Spaniard has made 39 appearances this season, managing just one goal in all competitions as City have slipped to nine points behind league leaders Chelsea ahead of their trip to Crystal Palace.

"We know they will come at us and that their supporters will be noisy if we allow them to get on top so we need to try and take control as quickly as possible," Navas tells Manchester City's website.

"There are a few strong teams coming from behind and we need to get wins in order to catch Chelsea, which is still possible. As far as the title is concerned, the only thing we can do is try to win all our remaining games and see what happens."

Sergio Aguero is making a few Crystal Palace fans smile but City could do with him creating home grimaces in the next couple of hours.

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The Argentina international is without a goal in five games and now two adrift of Chelsea's Diego Costa and Tottenham's Harry Kane in the race for the Premier League top scorer gong.

Phil Coulson: Manuel Pellegrini will go at the end of the season. Man City won't want to suffer the ignominy of Man Utd finishing above them.

Ryan Daniels: If Manuel Pellegrini doesn't win the Premier League then the owners should be fair and have the same inevitable fate of Roberto Mancini applied to him.

Jay: Yeah, Manchester City should sack Manuel Pellegrini. Appoint Malky Mackay. Or better still, Lee Clark.

Tweet us on #bbcfootball, is a season without a trophy enough to see Manuel Pellegrini sacked and who would replace him?

So as Manuel Pellegrini takes charge of his 101st Manchester City game, the club could be closing in on a season with no silverware, an occurrence which raises doubt over his chances of reaching 200 games in the hot seat.

So far the Chilean has a 63% win rate. His strike rate was better at Real Madrid, River Plate and Univesidad Catolica, albeit in shorter managerial spells.