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Pep Guardiola: “It’s a final every single game”
Pep Guardiola has told his players they need to be almost perfect in their final seven Premier League games if they are to qualify for the Champions League. Will Unwin reports …
Semi-automated offside technology
The Premier League is introducing semi-automated offside technology this weekend after non-live testing in the Premier League and live operation in the FA Cup this season, reports the competition’s website.
From the Premier League: “Semi-automated offside technology will provide more efficient placement of the virtual offside line, based on optical player tracking, and produce virtual graphics to ensure an enhanced in-stadium and broadcast experience for supporters.
“The operation of semi-automated offside technology does not change the accuracy of the decision-making but enhances the speed, efficiency and consistency of the process.
“The Premier League has worked in collaboration with PGMOL and sports data and technology company Genius Sports to develop a new semi-automated offside technology system – and this will be its first use in a live competition.”
Today’s match officials
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Referee: Jarred Gillett
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Assistants: Darren Cann and Ian Hussin
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Fourth official: Chris Kavanagh
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VAR: Peter Bankes
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Assistant VAR: Simon Bennett
Those teams: James McAtee makes his first ever Premier League start for City, replacing Phil Foden, who is out with an ankle injury. Rico Lewis and Nico Gonzalez come into the side too, with Matheus Nunes and Bernardo Silva making way.
Chris Richards return from injury to replace the suspended Marc Guehi in Palace’s only change from their win over Brighton last weekend. The 20-year-old Irish winger Franco Umeh-Chibueze is among Palace’s substitutes and will be hopeful of making his senior debut for the club.
Manchester City v Crystal Palace line-ups
Manchester City: Ederson, Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Kovacic, Nico Gonzalez, Gundogan, De Bruyne, McAtee, Marmoush.
Substitutes: Ortega, Grealish, Doku, Bernardo, Reis, Savinho, Nunes, Khusanov, Bobb.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Richards, Lacroix, Lerma, Mitchell, Kamada, Wharton, Munoz, Eze, Sarr, Mateta.
Substitutes: Matthews, Ward, Matheus Franca, Clyne, Hughes, Chilwell, Devenny, Kporha.
Early Team news
Central defenders Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and John Stones remain sidelined for Manchester City, although Pep Guardiola does have Ruben Dias, Josko Guardiol and Abdukodir Khusanov available to select from when it comes to filling the heart of his defence. Up front, Erling Haaland remains out with the ankle injury he suffered in the FA Cup quarter-final against Bournemouth but January signing Omar Marmoush has looked a more than able deputy.
Crystal Palace have had to plan for this game without Marc Guehi and Eddie Nketiah, who are both suspended after being sent off against Brighton last weekend. Fringe players Romain Eisse and Matt Turner have been ruled out through illness and left at home to recover, while Chadi Riad and Cheick Doucoure remain sidelined with serious knee injuries.
In better news for Palace, Maxence Lacroix is available after being withdrawn from the Brighton match after suffering a bang on the head, while his fellow centre-back Chris Richards is also fit again after missing Palace’s last two games.
Premier League: Manchester City v Crystal Palace
Manchester City host Crystal Palace needing at least a draw to get into the top five by overtaking a Newcastle side who will have played two games fewer than them by full time on goal difference. With seven Premier League games left to play, Pep Guardiola has described each of them as a “cup final”, the first of which comes against a Palace side they came from behind twice to draw with at Selhurst Park in December.
Unbeaten in seven games following their second win of the season against bitter rivals Brighton last weekend, Palace are in 11th place and not without a chance of qualifying for Europe, not least because only Premier League leaders Liverpool have picked up more points than Oliver Glasner’s in-form side over the past 10 matches. Kick-off at the Etihad Stadium is at 12.30pm (BST) but we’ll have team news and build-up in the meantime.
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