Crystal Palace 1-1 Man City – Premier League: Live score, team news and updates as Jordan Ayew hits the bar for the hosts

I don’t want this half to end, but we only have three minutes left of it.

It has been a fantastic watch.

Crystal Palace fans are not happy as Jordan Ayew goes to ground in an off-the-ball tangle with Josko Gvardiol.

VAR clears it very quickly, and rightly so. Not much in that.

Wow, that is brilliant footwork from Bryan Ortega.

The City keeper has just cruff turned Jean-Philippe Mateta as he comes within inches of getting onto a back pass from Rodri.

He looked so calm there, that was outstanding. Maybe Ederson won’t get back in the side!

Another chance for City, this time it’s Rico Lewis.

He finds some space in the box before firing straight at Dean Henderson.

City need to take some of these chances, especially when you see how quickly Crystal Palace can get in and cause problems.

So close from Jordan Ayew!

Rodri makes a very rare ever and Jordan Ayew flies forward before rattling the bar with a ferocious strike.

It’s not often you see Rodri give it away, but he’s got away with it.

It’s all Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side will feel they should be ahead, especially after the Erling Haaland chance. Everybody thought he would score.

They have had 80%, but are still level.

After watching what Kevin De Bruyne produced for the equaliser, Julian Alvarez tries to do something similar.

However, his effort from distance flies wide, it never looked like it was going to trouble Dean Henderson.

Just as I say that City come close.

The away side have been pinning Crystal Palace back and Rico Lewis fires a pass across the box, but no one is there to smash it home.

You feel if a City player got to that, they would be ahead.

It has calmed down slightly at Crystal Palace, the game is not being played at such a break-neck speed now.

I’ll tell you what hasn’t calmed down though, the wind, it is swirling out there.

The weather could make set-pieces very interesting viewing.

Jack Gaughan, Mail Sport, at Selhurst Park:

It’s been a surprise to see City quite this open in behind, although Palace have been excellent in turning the ball over in midfield. Does Haaland of last season miss that chance?

And breathe…

There is a break in play as Jack Grealish is hurt, as is Jordan Ayew.

This has been an electric game. I asked before the game which side would start the quickest, well, they both started at a frightening pace.

Both players are back up now, so back to it!

A crucial, crucial save from Dean Henderson.

Kevin De Bruyne slices Crystal Palace open with a beautiful ball to send Erling Haaland one-on-one.

You expect Haaland to make it 2-1, but Henderson rushes out to thwart him.

A brilliant pass, and a brilliant save.

That equaliser has not stopped Crystal Palace going forward.

Jordan Ayew fires a dipping effort just over the bar as Bryan Ortega was backtracking.

It was nearly a brilliant finish.

That is a stunner!

I said the Crystal Palace lead looked in danger, and there you go, what a crackerjack of a finish by Kevin De Bruyne.

The City number 17 picks up the ball and then, wow, just wow. He bends it with power into the top righthand corner from the edge of the area.

Dean Henderson had no chance, he put it right in the postage stamp.

Pep Guardiola blows him a kiss.

This already feels like a late onslaught by City, but it’s only been just over 10 minutes.

Rodri now forces a stunning save from Dean Henderson.

City are playing very well now, surely the Palace lead won’t last too long.

Vital defending from Joel Ward.

Rico Lewis slides in a stunning ball to Julian Alvarez who forces a big save from Dean Henderson from a tight angle.

It then comes off Ward and is cleared. It could have gone anyway, but luckily for Palace, it didn’t go into their own net.

Ward had to be there and he was.

Palace are causing Manchester City so many problems on the counter-attack.

They have a four on two, bu the final ball to Eberechi Eze is poor and the attack fizzles out.

City are all over the place at the back, what is going on?

Man City have responded to going behind very well.

Kevin De Bruyne plops a ball straight onto the head of Josko Gvardiol, but he can’t keep his header on target.

De Bruyne will be huge for Manchester City today if they are to get back into this.

That wasn’t in the script!

That was way too easy for Palace. They win the ball and go straight onto the front foot, Jean-Philippe Mateta is sent clean through and makes no mistake, sliding it past Bryan Ortega and in off the post.

Pep Guardiola throws his hands down in anger. A terrible start for the visitors.

Rodri is so good, isn’t he?

He manages to pick up the ball in the palace half and set City off on a quick counter attack. It looked so easy.

City win a corner but nothing comes of it.

A huge 90 minutes begins.

Let’s see which team can get off to a quicker start, if either does that is.

It could be cagey, it could be open. Let’s see!

I just found myself bobbing along to the music in the ground. It’s very good.

Selhurst Park is going to have to be rocking today, I imagine the music will turn to chants in a matter of minutes.

I can already hear the Manchester City fans letting themselves be heard.

Here come the teams!

Right, kick-off is closing in, so I think it’s time for us to make our predictions.

It’s a huge match, mainly for the top of the table, so I can see it being a tense affair.

I’m going to go with a 2-1 Manchester City win, Phil Foden to come off the bench to score the winner!

What do you think?

The big news for Crystal Palace today is that Michael Olise is back in a matchday squad.

Olise has only featured in 11 Premier League games this season, but has scored six times and provided three assists in those matches.

He is a special talent, but how many minutes will he get?

Anonymous: Nothing to do with City playing Real Madrid on Tuesday I suppose. When you have a good squad you can afford to rest some players, especially when 3 points are in the bag vs Palace today.

I wouldn’t speak too soon, you never know…

Marc Guehi, Crystal Palace defender, speaking to TNT Sports:

You do the work beforehand in the week, analyse their game. He [Erling Haaland] likes to run in behind, so that’s the first thing, so whenever Kevin De Bruyne or one of their top players is on the ball, he’s always on his bike. Making sure you cover the space and are always touch-tight in the box. It’s easier said than done!

They’re one of the best in the league. They’ve got big players everywhere – I don’t think people realise! Rodri, Stones, Haaland. You’re playing top teams so it’s always marginal stuff.

Most times I ask this question I get a resounding yes.

However, is this year different? City are still fighting for the treble and have a huge match with Real Madrid in the Champions League in the coming week.

So can they claw back the points to win an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row?

Let us know what you think!

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, speaking to TNT Sports:

It was difficult [to leave Foden on the bench]. It’s always tough but we have a lot of games. Phil played against Arsenal, 96 minutes, and friendly games for the national team, and he couldn’t move. It’s a lot of games and that’s why we decided on that. If we win, great decision, if we lose, why did you do that?’

After tomorrow, we travel to Madrid. We need sometimes fresh. I would love to have Phil on the pitch. I’m not stupid! I like him. A lot of games, a lot of players, that’s why I decide for that [to leave him out].

It’s the first time [I’ve been in a three-way title race]. What are Arsenal doing here?

Don’t worry Arsenal fans, he was only joking!

Jack Gaughan, Mail Sport, at Selhurst Park:

Guardiola has done what he did midweek: mix it up. If City are going to challenge for everything they’ll need to keep players fresh.

These two teams love to play out a draw.

The sides drew 2-2 at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season which was the third time in the last five meetings between the sides that Palace have avoided defeat against City.

A draw wouldn’t be enough for City today, you’d expect.

Never predict a Pep Guardiola team.

The Spaniard loves to ruin Fantasy Premier League managers’ weeks when he picks his 11 – Phil Foden is in my team… I’m not bitter..

It is a big surprise that Phil Foden has dropped to the bench for the clash with Crystal Palace today, not many were expecting it.

Pep knows best though, there is a reason he is arguably the best manager in the world.

Pep Guardiola loves to switch things up when we least expect it, and he has done it again.

After being dropped to the nech in midweek, both Erling Haaland and Kevin DeBuryne return to the starting 11.

However, Phil Foden has been benched despite scoring a hattrick against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Very interesting – four changes.

Just look who is back on the Crystal Palace bench.

It’s been a tough season for Michael Olise, but he is back in the Palace squad today following a hamstring problem.

Other than Olise’s return to the squad, there is no other news – Palace are unchanged.

Just look how tight it is at the top!

These three teams are going hammer and tong in the race for the Premier League title, and none of them are going anywhere.

Who thought all three would still be within three points of each other at this stage? I know I didn’t.

That’s why it’s so fantastic!

Manchester City have been without their number one keeper, Ederson ever since he hobbled off in their 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.

Well, today he could potentially return.

Pep Guardiola confirmed that the Brazil international is back in contention to start after returning to training last week.

Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake are set to be sidelined, but knowing Pep, who knows?

It will be interesting to see how City line-up.

Manchester City sitting third in the table with just eight games to go, looks a little odd.

Pep Guardiola and his side are not used to this, it feels like they are almost always in control of their own destiny.

Well, not at the moment. City have to win to keep on the coattails of Arsenal and Liverpool, whose games aren’t until tonight and tomorrow.

The pressure can sometimes feel different when you’re chasing, but I don’t think anybody doubts that City can handle that stress.

They will be in the race until the very end.

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, speaking to the press on Friday:

We’re third, not far away from the top of the Premier League, but if we drop points it will be almost impossible. So we have to win that game and after that we will have more time, not for recovery, but to prepare.

I have not had much time to see Real Madrid. I said, when we have been fighting for nine or 10 months for the Premier League, why should I be distracted now from this important game against Palace, when the distance is so close?

Although it is unlikely Crystal Palace will get sucked into a relegation battle, they are far from safety as it stands.

Oliver Glasner’s side sit 14th, eight points above Luton in the relegation zone, but their form has been poor of late.

With only one league win in their last five outings, Palace are in need of three points. They will be hard to come by today though.

If the hosts do find a win today though, you can all but say they will be safe.

A lot is riding on this game.

Crystal Palace love to cause Manchester City problems, but strangely they normally do so at the Etihad.

Selhurst Park has actually been a happy hunting ground for City in recent seasons, they are unbeaten there in their last eight league visits, winning six.

That doesn’t mean today will be straightforward though, a title race fixture never is.

If City slip up in any form today, their dreams of a fourth successive title will start to become more distant.

They might just put on a masterclass now that I said that.

It feels like Christmas, counting down the days, or in this case games.

This year’s title race certainly feels like a gift and Manchester City will be hoping they can wrap up three points today to take them level with Liverpool at the top of the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola knows himself that it won’t be easy though, Crystal palace have caused them more than a few problems during his tenure.

It’s another whopper of a day, and it starts in south London. Can Palace inflict major damage to City’s title hopes, or will Guardiola’s side close the gap at the top?

Let’s find out, shall we?