Pep Guardiola has dropped a major hint over his team selection for Wednesday night's vital Premier League clash with Crystal Palace. Time is running out for City as far as the title race goes, with just three games remaining for them and two for Arsenal.
City know they are going to have to win all three of their remaining Premier League games and hope that Arsenal falter in one of their remaining two. If City falter, or if Arsenal win both of their games, the title race will fall short, and City will be left lamenting that costly draw with Everton a couple of weeks back.
Pep Guardiola confirms he will rotate
But there is also the FA Cup to think about, and Guardiola says he will rotate in the league to make sure the best possible team is available to face Chelsea at Wembley. He said: "The next games I’m going to rotate the team. Otherwise we cannot arrive for the FA Cup final, or Bournemouth a little bit. We’ll see the [Arsenal] result and after we’ll make decisions.”
While their title chances remain in the air, City must concentrate on doing their own part, and that begins with beating Palace at home on Wednesday night in their game in-hand. City have struggled against Palace in the past, and the Eagles often rise to the occasion against top clubs even with little to play for.
Palace are headed for a bottom half , but they do have a Conference League final with Rayo Vallecano to prepare for, so not only will they be determined to go into that game in good form, but there will also be competition for places, which brings the best out of players.
City know the scale of the challenge, too, having lost to this Palace side minus Marc Guehi in the FA Cup final last season, which won't have been forgotten.
Speaking about the challenge Palace pose, Guardiola added: "Always it’s been a tough game, since Roy Hodgson especially and now Oliver. They have reach a final, a European final. Maybe they struggled a little bit in the Premier League with a lot of changes.
“The manager is leaving, they announced it a long time ago. Maybe they are not consistent but the quality is there. The patterns are there.”
Palace held Everton last time out, with the Toffees fighting for European football, and they will have the chance to have a big say on the title race, facing City and Arsenal in their last three games of the season.
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