Premier League LIVE SCORES: Action on NOW as Palace TWO up at City after goals from Chris Richards and Eberechi Eze

Man City 0-2 Crystal Palace24. Kevin De Bruyne is within a whisker of halving the deficit.

The departing Belgian initially looks too slow to react as the ball is presented to him outside the box, but he gets a second opportunity and this time caresses a curler on to the post from 20 yards.

Man City 0-2 Crystal Palace21. Crystal Palace double their lead, and nobody inside the Etihad is the slightest bit surprised.

It’s a terrible goal to concede from the home team’s perspective too.

From the right, Adam Wharton drifts in a corner underneath the crossbar, and Chris Richards is allowed to get up and nod in while Ederson flaps about.

An unlikely scorer? Yes. An unlikely score? Not really.

It’s two!

Man City 0-1 Crystal Palace18. The director just cut to Erling Haaland in the stands, shaking his head at City’s sluggish start.

To be fair, he’s had as many touches in the first 20 minutes of this game that he usually does.

Man City 0-1 Crystal Palace15. Three of Crystal Palace’s last five Premier League goals against the reigning champions have come inside the opening ten minutes.

They do love a fast start.

Man City 0-1 Crystal Palace12. City continue to look nervous at the back and are gifting Palace space on the left.

But in forward areas, they are creating chances.

Marmoush gets in behind and looks certain to equalise until the slightest pull back from Richards puts the striker off his finish.

The VAR officials consider a possible penalty, but surmise that the contact was minimal.

Man City 0-1 Crystal Palace8. I was just in the middle of typing about how the game was being played almost entirely by City in the Palace half, and how that will suit the Eagles…

…and sure enough, they swoop.

Ruben Dias is slow to move out and plays Ismaila Sarr onside down the right, and he has the simplest task of squaring into the area for Ebere Eze to roll in.

Textbook Oliver Glasner.

Palace strike!

Man City 0-0 Crystal Palace5. A brilliant cross in from O’Reilly is dealt with by an even better defensive header from Lerma.

Seconds later, a dink over the top from Kovacic has McAtee in on goal, but he sidefoots straight at Henderson.

Man City 0-0 Crystal Palace3. Omar Marmoush is caught offside.

It’s an obvious one though, nothing semi-automated about it.

Kick-off – Man City v Crystal Palace1. It’s the hosts that get this one up and running, and immediately spring on to the front foot.

In glorious sunshine and on his first start, McAtee bursts down the right but too much on his cross intended for O’Reilly.

From Phil Thomas at the EtihadNo Phil Foden, but no dramas,…ir’s nothing to do with Pep protecting him after that “vile, vicious, vindictive, you name it” abuse at Old Trafford last week. He came off with a knock and isn’t being risked because of it, simple as that.

As for the entertainment? Well we’ve already had more than the dullest Manchester derby in living memory produced – and we haven’t even kicked off yet.

Here come the two teamsThe players are out at the Etihad and so too are the officials, which includes legendary linesman Darren Cann, who today runs the line in the Premier League for the final time.

City still have work to do in order to secure Champions League football, while the Eagles haven’t yet given up on a late surge into the European spots.

There’s so much to play for in the day’s early kick-off, and it’s just seconds until it all gets underway.

The first goal is crucial……or perhaps not.

The team opening the scoring has won just one of the last five Premier League meetings between Crystal Palace and Man City (D2 L2) with the Citizens also winning 1-0 at Selhurst Park in March 2023.

On the three occasions the Eagles have scored first in this run, they’ve done so in the fourth minute of the match.

A debut at The EtihadJames McAtee gets his first start in the Premier League for City today, but that is not what we’re talking about.

For the first time in Premier League history, semi-automated offside will be used throughout the game.

The technology will make tight offside decisions quicker, and will help speed the game up.

Credit: Getty

The De Bruyne farewell tourKevin De Bruyne will leave Manchester City at the end of this season, and will be hoping to guide his side into the Champions League next season.

City have shown interest in Florian Wirtz and also Morgan Gibbs-White, with Forest setting a £100million price tag on their star midfielder.

However, there is a player at Palace who could be of interest to City in the summer.

Eberechi Eze put on a show as Palace beat Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-final, and has 10 goal contributions in 26 games for Oliver Glasner’s side this season.

Eze is more than just his stats, and could catch the eye of Pep Guardiola today.

Credit: Getty

Key figures missing for PalaceIt got heated when Crystal Palace last played, winning 2-1 against Brighton but ending the game with NINE men on the pitch.

Eddie Nketiah was the first to go, which was a spanner in the works for Oliver Glasner, as Nketiah often comes on for Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Then, he lost his captain and key defender, Marc Guehi.

So today, Palace midfielder Jefferson Lerma will start in defence, with Adam Wharton playing with Daichi Kamada in midfield.

Credit: Getty

A bogey sideManchester City have only picked up two wins in their last six games against Crystal Palace at The Etihad.

Palace beat City in 2018 (3-2) and 2021 (0-2), and held City in their previous visit in 2023 (2-2), and in January 2021 (1-1).

When City have won in their previous encounters, they won 4-0 and 4-2, so history suggests Pep Guardiola’s side will need to open the floodgates to pick up victory here today.

With Omar Marmoush leading the line in good form, he will need his shooting boots today.

Credit: Andrew Yates/Sportimage

On the benchCity: Ortega, Grealish, Doku, Bernardo, Reis, Savinho, Nunes, Khusanov, Bobb

Palace: Matthews, Ward, Franca, Clyne, Hughes, Chilwell, Umeh, Devenny, Kporha

No-denPhil Foden has been DROPPED by Manchester City ahead of their clash against Crystal Palace.

Reports from Fabrizio Romano suggest that Foden is not fully fit ahead of the Citizens clash with Palace.

Foden has had a poor season by his standards, and this is another blow for last seasons PFA Player of the Season winner.

Credit: Andrew Yates/Sportimage

XI’s confirmedCity: Ederson, Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Nico, Kovacic, Gundogan, De Bruyne, McAtee, Marmoush

Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix, Lerma, Mitchell, Wharton, Kamada, Sarr, Eze, Mateta

Super SaturdayWelcome to SunSport’s coverage of the Premier League!

Five HUGE fixtures come LIVE from the Premier League – and SunSport is the place to be for all the action!

Action starts at The Etihad at 12:30pm BST, as Manchester City host Crystal Palace in what could be an FA Cup final preview.

Then, at 3pm BST there are three HUGE fixtures, as Brighton host Leicester, Nottingham Forest host Everton and Southampton host Aston Villa.

Then, an all-London clash will end the day.

At 5:30pm BST, fresh off their 3-0 demolishment of Real Madrid, Arsenal host Brentford at The Emirates – which will still be bouncing from Tuesday night.

SunSport has you covered for all the play-by-play action today!