The second weekend of the Premier League season begins Friday afternoon at Selhurst Park, where Crystal Palace hosts Manchester City in the only match on the league’s schedule. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET on USA Network.
Both clubs opened the 2026-27 campaign under new managers last weekend, but only one escaped with three points. Manchester City needed two goals from its defenders in the closing minutes to defeat Bournemouth 2-1 in Enzo Maresca‘s first Premier League match in charge.
Bournemouth led from the 26th minute until former Palace captain Marc Guéhi headed City level in the 84th. Joško Gvardiol then completed the comeback during stoppage time, with substitute Rayan Cherki assisting both goals.
City created enough opportunities to avoid such a dramatic finish, but Erling Haaland, Guéhi and Antoine Semenyo each missed chances before the late turnaround. Haaland was held scoreless in his 200th appearance for the club after winning his third Premier League Golden Boot last season.
Crystal Palace experienced the opposite in Pierre Sage‘s league debut, falling 2-0 to Everton despite controlling possession and creating several promising opportunities during the first half. Eddie Nketiah had an effort pushed onto the post by Jordan Pickford before Jean-Philippe Mateta struck the woodwork later in the half.
Everton punished those misses with goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry, leaving Palace without a point heading into Sage’s first Premier League match at home. The Eagles are attempting to improve upon a 15th-place league finish last season, although that uneven domestic campaign also included the first European trophy in club history after Palace won the UEFA Conference League.
Palace will remain without Ismaïla Sarr, who missed the opener with a groin injury. Defender Chadi Riad is also unavailable after being stretchered off with a knee injury against Everton.
Manchester City will be without Jérémy Doku, while Matheus Nunes is not fully fit. Elliot Anderson is available after leaving the Bournemouth match with cramp, and 18-year-old midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi could make his debut after completing a move from Lille earlier this week.
Friday’s match will also bring Guéhi back to Selhurst Park for the first time since leaving Palace for City in January. Maresca used the center back in a holding midfield role against Bournemouth and could keep him there against his former club.
Recent meetings have belonged to Manchester City. The visitors have won 15 of their last 22 Premier League matches against Palace, with five draws and only two defeats. City won both league meetings 3-0 last season and has not lost a top-flight match at Selhurst Park since April 2015.
Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City Odds Today
Manchester City is a -155 road favorite for Friday’s match on the three-way moneyline at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook:
- Crystal Palace (+400)
- Draw (+300)
- Manchester City (-155)
Best Bet for Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City
Hard Rock Bet’s Stats Hub is loaded with streaks, trends and other valuable data insights for every game on the Premier League schedule. A consistent scoring trend between these clubs supports our featured play for Friday:
Over 2.5 Total Goals (-155): This market has cashed in each of the last six Premier League meetings between Crystal Palace and Manchester City.
City has scored at least twice in all six of those matches, producing 19 total goals during that span. Palace has contributed to the scoring in four of the six, with the teams combining for 27 goals – or an average of 4.5 per match.
Manchester City also cleared this total in its season opener, coming from behind to defeat Bournemouth 2-1. Maresca’s side created several chances before Guéhi and Gvardiol finally broke through late.
Palace failed to score at Everton, but the Eagles had opportunities to change the shape of that match before falling behind. Nketiah and Mateta both hit the post during the first half, while Daniel Muñoz also forced Pickford into a save.
City’s attack should again create enough opportunities to do much of the work toward this total, while its vulnerability against Bournemouth gives Palace a chance to contribute at home. Give us Over 2.5 Total Goals (-155) as our best bet for Friday’s match.
Betting Splits at Hard Rock Bet
Manchester City is receiving the majority of the three-way moneyline action at Hard Rock Bet:
- Manchester City has pulled in 93.9% of all tickets and 95.2% of the money wagered.
- Crystal Palace accounts for 4.6% of the bets and 3% of the handle.
- The draw represents the remaining 1.5% of tickets and 1.9% of the handle.
Top 5 Most-Bet Player Props
Haaland occupies the first three spots among Friday’s most popular player props at Hard Rock Bet, while Phil Foden accounts for the other two:
- Erling Haaland – Anytime Goalscorer
- Erling Haaland – First Goalscorer
- Erling Haaland – To Score or Assist
- Phil Foden – Anytime Goalscorer
- Phil Foden – Over 1.5 Shots
Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City Match Info
- 📍 Location: Selhurst Park, London, England
- 📅 Date: Friday, August 28
- ⏰ Start Time: 3 p.m. ET
- 📺 Where to Watch: USA Network
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