Kit changes and Palace trophies: everything you need to know about Man City

Match previews

16 Oct 2023

Crystal Palace’s are back in Premier League action at the Etihad on Saturday, 16th December (15:00 GMT) – get the lowdown on our latest opponents…

Factfile

Manager: Pep Guardiola
Last season: 1st
Nickname: The Citizens
Ground: Etihad
Founded: 1880

What’s the story?

City are aiming for a record fourth consecutive title, but a difficult November period saw them go four games without a win in the Premier League, the joint-longest spell under Guardiola’s management.

Three consecutive draws with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were followed by defeat at Aston Villa, before a victory at Luton Town sealed a much-needed three points and cut the deficit to Arsenal at the top of the table.

With Arsenal, a resurgent Liverpool and an Unai Emery-inspired Aston Villa to reckon with, the title race looks to be more than a two-horse affair this season and Guardiola’s men will have to use all their experience and ability to come out on top come May.

With the potential of Erling Haaland’s injury keeping him out over Christmas, plus the long-term absence of Kevin De Bruyne, City will want to ensure the rest of their squad – midfield general Rodri in particular – can stay fit for the remainder of the campaign as they look to go up another gear in the new year.

The boss

Pep Guardiola has won five Premier League titles since his arrival from Bayern Munich. He was a legendary player and manager at Barcelona, where he won the European Cup under Johan Cruyff before doing so again in the dugout.

The ground

The Etihad began life as the City of Manchester Stadium, opened in 2002 for the Commonwealth Games and now leased to Manchester City from the Manchester City Council. Expansion plans mean the capacity will soon rise to close to 60,000.

Record against Palace

Palace’s recent record at the Etihad is relatively strong, with important victories in 2021 – with Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher the scorers – and 2018 – thanks to Andros Townsend’s Puskas Award-nominated volley – fresh in the memory.

In 2021/22, the Eagles were the only side in the Premier League to stop City scoring both at home and away.

Did you know?

Man City’s first honours came in 1899 when they earned promotion to the top-flight by winning the Second Division title, but their first major trophy was the FA Cup in 1904 – and they won it at Crystal Palace.

Facing Bolton Wanderers on 23rd April, 1904 in front of an enormous crowd, City scored the only goal of the game and lifted the prestigious trophy. They were very close to a league and cup double as they finished runners-up in the title race, but it wasn’t to be – and they had to wait another 33 years for a first league title.

Man City have worn their regular sky blue colours since records began, but the story of their red and black away strips is more complicated. There is some indication, although based on archives that are hard to corroborate, that City played in scarlet and black during their period as St Mark’s in the 1880s.

However, when Malcolm Allison took over, the new strip took off. The manager’s belief was that the famous colours would inspire Man City to similar successes enjoyed by AC Milan, who were European Cup winners in 1969.

It may have worked, too, as one of City’s most successful pre-takeover periods followed. Allison – as assistant manager to Joe Mercer – guided the side to the 1969 FA Cup, 1970 League Cup and 1970 Cup Winners’ Cup playing in red and black rather than sky blue.

Palace were given a similar treatment by Allison, who replaced the traditional white strip in 1973 with red and blue stripes to replicate FC Barcelona. The Spanish side had just signed a promising looking Dutch international from Ajax by the name of Johan Cruyff, to work under a Dutch manager with wild ideals: Rinus Michels.

It had a similar effect: just 18 years later, the Eagles signed Glyn Hodges from Watford and won the Zenith Data Systems Cup.

Match details

Saturday, 16th December
15:00 GMT
Etihad Stadium
Live audio commentary on Palace TV+

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