The City boss says there is another training session on Saturday so things could change slightly but is certain Nathan Ake and Aymeric Laporte will again be absent as they continue to recover from injury.
NEW PRE-MATCH WARM-UP GEAR LAUNCHED!
Sergio Aguero looks likely to be unavailable again after a period of self-isolation but Eric Garcia is expected to be ready for selection.
“Today the players are off,” said Pep. “Tomorrow we train.
“I would love to update you. I think Eric Garcia will be back. The guys from the Academy will be back. Aymeric and Nathan are not fit, Sergio also.
“The rest are OK.”
City go into Sunday’s game in third spot, just four points off leaders Manchester United.
With Liverpool and United playing each other this weekend, Pep admitted the first part of the campaign had been fascinating for neutrals, but he is not concerned with what happens at Anfield.
“It was exciting in the first half of the season,” he said.
“In my head and hopefully in the head of the players it is just Crystal Palace we are thinking about.
“In the last two seasons we were not able to beat them at home. Hopefully we can. Always, in the second half of the season when you are fighting for the title it is exciting.
“A team like Palace knows exactly what they have to do.
“We have to be patient, find our rhythm. They defend so well. We saw that against Arsenal. They were able to control much of the game.
“It was tough in recent seasons when we lost and drew. We try to convince our players to do our job and win the game.”
And, on Palace’s unpredictable form, he added: “All the clubs have their ups and downs this season. More than ever.
“Every team has four good results and then, after, one or two bad ones. Palace are not an exception. What they changed I don’t know because I am not there.”
