One eye on the FA Cup final, Pep? Man City boss makes SIX changes for clash with Crystal Palace – and BENCHES Erling Haaland – despite needing a win to stay in Premier League title fight with Arsenal
Pep Guardiola has made six changes to his Manchester City side for their crunch clash with Crystal Palace, despite the fact the Citizens need a win to stay in the title fight with Arsenal.
With City playing Chelsea in the FA Cup final in just four days, Guardiola has seemingly prioritised the Wembley match by resting Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and in-form man Jeremy Doku for Tuesday night’s top flight clash at the Etihad Stadium.
The hosts are desperate for a win to stand a chance of usurping Arsenal for the title, who they trail by five points with a game in hand.
The title is firmly in the Gunners’ hands. Mikel Arteta’s side must beat already-relegated Burnley at home, plus Palace at Selhurst Park, to lift the trophy for the first time in 22 years.
Pep Guardiola has made six changes for Tuesday’s must-win game against Crystal Palace
Meanwhile, City play Palace tonight, then Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday before travelling to Bournemouth next Tuesday. They finish the season against Aston Villa on Sunday May 24.
Guardiola admitted the fixture congestion – and the importance of Saturday’s final – was behind his team selection on Tuesday.
‘The manager is here to take the risks,’ he told Sky Sports. ‘It depends on the results whether we’ll be judged nicely, otherwise it’ll be the complete opposite but you have to take it.
‘People don’t believe me… the players… how much we trust or I trust, otherwise we will not be here.
‘After three days we travel to London, always a London trip. It’ll be a long week for Chelsea waiting for just that game and they don’t have to travel. After, we immediately have to travel to Bournemouth, one of the top form teams.’
When asked whether Arsenal’s win at West Ham affected his thinking, Guardiola said: ‘Of course, you have one eye… the Premier League is so complicated. We’re not here to think, we’re here to try and win, score goals, not concede, but if that game was in five or six days, maybe it would have been different.’
