Pep Guardiola’s men suffered a setback by only drawing with Liverpool and Arsenal, but those results haven’t ruled them out of the title race just yet.

They are still within range and can lay down an early marker for the weekend playing in the lunchtime Saturday kick-off.

The simple fact is that the Mancunians are much the better side and should at least get the win. Taking them straight on the nose looks safe enough at odds of 1.25. We don’t have to worry about any handicaps or team totals here, just City to get the 3 points.

Not too many people expected Man City to hammer Villa 4-1 in midweek, especially without the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne.

It feels like too many people were already writing off Pep Guardiola’s men after drawing v Arsenal, and this City team loves to prove a point. This could be a spot where they rack up a few more goals again and work on improving their goal difference.

With a fresh Haaland possibly coming back into the side, things could get ugly for Palace. The hosts under Oliver Glasner might end up having to be more attacking themselves to get something out of the game.

City don’t have an amazing clean sheet record this season so it’s not out of the realms of possibility that Palace score. Over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.57 are generous and is perhaps priced up on Palace’s reputation under the previous regime.

Manchester City have obtained the most overall corners in the Premier League this season (228) with 102 of those coming away from home.

They average a mammoth 7.60 corners in each fixture and this is understandable due to their heavy possession figures and territorial dominance. They should be in full control of this match right from the off as Palace sit back.

Rather than take a match corners line let’s just take the Man City over 4.5 corners line at 1.29. This really should be well within their reach when facing a far inferior team and it is far lower than their season average.

There is an argument to say that Rodri is the most important player in the Man City squad. The key midfielder holds things together for the Cityzens but an underrated part of his game is still on the offensive side. He has popped up with some crucial goals for them down the years and netted in midweek v Aston Villa to get the ball rolling.

Rodri averages 2.10 shots per 90 minutes which is a higher statistic than most would expect. Teams can drop so deep v City that he is the one with more space and time to actually shoot at goal. This is the type of fixture where he could be crucial in their efforts to break down a resilient defence.

The 1.53 on offer that Rodri attempts two or more shots looks big. He’s usually reliable to play a full match and can also be a threat in the air from set pieces. This is a player who has scored seven times in the Premier League this season and who has an eye for goal.

Palace will get limited opportunities in this match and their best chance will come from breakaway moments or set pieces. The versatility of Jordan Ayew is useful to new manager Oliver Glasner because he can play in any of the attacking roles on either wing or even as an attacking midfielder.

Glasner has used the Ghanaian in loads of different spots so far and he won’t be shy of taking a shot if the opportunity presents itself. Ayew is 1.20 just to have a single attempt or more which looks likely when you consider his seasonal average of 1.50 shots per 90.

He cannot always be relied on for his accuracy but is the type of player who will have a speculative attempt from anywhere. He’s a hardworking player which should give him at least 75 minutes on the field to achieve this target.

Crystal Palace have been one of the cleaner teams in the Premier League this season, averaging just less than two cards per game. But in this situation as a clear underdog and likely to be under significant pressure, it might be hard for the players to avoid bookings.

There are sure to be some desperate moments where some of the Palace men have to make cynical challenges. Possible time-wasting offences might come into play as well.

The Eagles have picked up at least two cards in all but one of the games that Glasner has been in charge of, and at odds of 1.44 that line looks worth betting on again.

The cards line is surprisingly low here, possibly because Paul Tierney is the referee. His seasonal average for cards is lower than most referees, but he’s dished out 12 bookings in his last two games and won’t just keep his cards in his pocket for the sake of it. Palace will come under fire, as they get tired and frustrated, so to need just two bookings from them isn’t asking for too much.

Since arriving from Genk in the January transfer window Daniel Munoz has become a mainstay of the Palace team. He suits the 3-4-3 system that Glasner prefers.

Munoz averages 1.60 fouls per 90 since joining Palace which is the highest fouls rate of any of their players this season. He’s only made eight appearances so the data is less prevalent but this statistic can’t be ignored. Munoz is going to have a tricky matchup here, up against Jack Grealish or Jeremy Doku.

For a man who regularly commits fouls, the odds of 1.33 to commit just one look big. He racked up a brace of fouls v Bournemouth in midweek and this will be a more significant challenge.