Why Crystal Palace are not looking forward to playing Man City

Roy Hodgson says Manchester Metropolis’s current kind is daunting for his Crystal Palace aspect as they put together to go to the Etihad on Sunday.

City beat Brighton on Wednesday to make it seven wins in succession in all competitions, and 14 unbeaten since defeat at Tottenham in November. The win in opposition to Brighton was not as commanding as earlier victories over Chelsea, Manchester United and Birmingham, however Pep Guardiola’s males simply did sufficient to maneuver as much as third.

If Liverpool drop factors in opposition to United earlier on Sunday, Metropolis can transfer into second by beating Palace. If Liverpool win, Metropolis can go inside some extent of the pair with a recreation in hand.

The current kind from Metropolis, in addition to their incentive on Sunday, is one thing Hodgson says will work in opposition to his Palace aspect.

He mentioned: “Definitely the seven video games in a row of victories – and sometimes victories the place they’re not conceding targets or conceding many aim probabilities – that’s all the time a fear for an opponent like ourselves.

“In the event that they’re not conceding targets, they’re all the time more likely to rating with the standard of gamers they’ve to select from. It’s going to be a really very robust ask for us.

“Am I trying ahead to going there? Effectively, not likely, as a result of I do know it’s going to be a really laborious ask for us. It’s important to present each bit as a lot self-discipline, vitality and energy that we put into tonight’s recreation. We’ve got to go and do it once more.”

Palace are unbeaten of their final two visits to the Etihad with a draw and win – however that victory in 2013 was their solely away success in opposition to Metropolis in 13 journeys since 1990. Metropolis have additionally gained 9 of the final 12 conferences between the perimeters.

For that cause, Hodgson was pleased to color Palace as agency underdogs on Sunday, however warned Metropolis that his aspect will likely be able to take their probabilities in the event that they current themselves.

He continued: “One ought to be trying ahead to it as a result of it’s a improbable stadium and we’re enjoying in opposition to a improbable group, and the rationale we’re within the Premier League actually is to play in these video games.

“It will be one other feather within the cap as a result of I don’t suppose too many individuals will likely be anticipating us to go there and beat them, so we go there very a lot as underdogs. However I’d prefer to suppose they may respect us, they may respect what we attempt to do and the way in which we attempt to play in order that they gained’t take the sport flippantly.

“It’s as much as us to verify we don’t enable them to take the sport flippantly with the standard of our performances.”

In his pre-match press convention, Pep Guardiola was eager to emphasize that his aspect have been solely focussing on enjoying Palace, and never any wider title race considerations – particularly after the Eagles took some extent off Arsenal on the Emirates.

He mentioned: “They know precisely what they should do. They defend so effectively, we noticed it in opposition to Arsenal, high quality upfront. They managed a lot a part of the sport. It was robust the final seasons right here after we misplaced and draw. We persuade the gamers to do their job and win the sport.”