The England defender came off with a hamstring injury in the FA Cup fourth round victory over Arsenal on 27 January but has battled back to fitness for this afternoon’s clash at Selhurst Park.
Stones’ return is one of two changes for City following last weekend’s win over Newcastle United, with Bernardo Silva also coming into the team. The pair take the places of Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne.
Erling Haaland will be looking to replicate his performance in the August reverse fixture when he fired a hat-trick as we claimed a 4-2 victory at the Etihad.
Teams
CITY XI: Ederson, Stones, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Rodrigo, Bernardo, Gundogan (c), Foden, Grealish, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Walker, Phillips, Laporte, De Bruyne, Alvarez, Mahrez, Palmer, Lewis
CRYSTAL PALACE XI: Guaita, Clyne, Guehi, Andersen, Mitchell, Lokonga, Milivojevic (c), Schlupp, Ayew, Zaha, Olise
Subs: Whitworth, Ward, Tomkins, Richards, Riedewald, Ahamada, Eze, Edouard, Mateta
Tactics
Ederson will be protected by a defence of Stones, Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake. Stones is expected to play on the right with Ake out on the left.
Rodrigo, Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo will be tasked with controlling the midfield and supplying a forward line of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland.
Grealish will start on the left wing as usual while Foden will be looking to cut in from the right and join Haaland in dangerous positions centrally.
Stones is back
John Stones was having a storming season at the back for City before his unfortunate hamstring injury earlier this year.
The defender had become a leader in our back line and his return will be a welcome sight for City fans all over the world.
With important matches in the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup to come next week, his return to the fold has come at the best possible time.
Aymeric Laporte is also back in contention but on the bench for this one. If he continues to progress towards full fitness then it’s likely we’ll see the Spain international next week.
Selhurst dominance
While Crystal Palace have enjoyed playing at the Etihad in recent years, we have an exceptional record at the Eagles’ home.
Pep Guardiola has never lost a Premier League game at Selhurst Park, winning four and drawing two of his visits to South London.
The famously raucous atmosphere, a small pitch and stands tight to the touchline make it a difficult place to go however. Guardiola and his side will not be complacent ahead of facing Vieira’s side.
Match stats
- Crystal Palace are winless in their last seven Premier League home games against City (D2 L5), since a 2-1 win in April 2015. They’ve failed to score in five of these seven games, including each of the last three.
- Each of City’s last nine goals against Crystal Palace in the Premier League have come in the second half of games, with the Blues failing to score in the opening 45 minutes in each of our last four against the Eagles.
- Crystal Palace are winless in nine Premier League games (D5 L4), the longest ongoing run among sides currently in the competition. Indeed, no side has fewer Premier League points in 2023 than the Eagles (5, level with Bournemouth).
- Crystal Palace’s last four home league games have all been drawn. The Eagles last drew five straight home league matches in March 2000 in the second tier, while the last team to do so in the Premier League were Burnley in March 2021.
- Crystal Palace have failed to register a single shot on target in more different Premier League games than any other side this season (4). They’ve not managed one in their last two matches, with no Premier League side on record failing to do so in three consecutive games before (since 2003-04).
- No team has conceded fewer goals from set piece situations in the Premier League this season than Crystal Palace (5, including penalties), while the Eagles have netted a league-high share 43% of their goals from set pieces this term (9/21).
- Erling Haaland scored his first Premier League hat-trick in the reverse fixture against Crystal Palace, as City came from 2-0 down at half-time to win 4-2. Only Emmanuel Adebayor against Derby County in 2007-08 has ever scored two hat-tricks against an opponent in the same Premier League season.
- Phil Foden is looking to score in three consecutive Premier League games, previously doing so in June/July 2020, and September/October this season. He’s scored nine times in the competition so far this term and could reach double figures for the very first time.
- Bernardo Silva has scored in his last two Premier League games for Man City – only once has he scored in more consecutive top-flight matches, doing so in four in a row with Monaco in April/May 2015.
