Crystal Palace confirmed their starting lineup to face Manchester City in a Premier League match at Selhurst Park on Friday, August 28, 2026. The Eagles, who sit 19th in the Premier League with 0 points from two games, were seeking their first win of the 2026-27 season against the reigning champions.
Who started for Crystal Palace?
Head coach Pierre Sage selected a side showing the effects of a summer of wholesale changes. Dean Henderson started in goal behind a back three of Jaydee Canvot, Chris Richards, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. The wing-back roles went to Anan Khalaili and Tyrique Mitchell, with Adam Wharton and Daichi Kamada in central midfield. The attack featured Eddie Nketiah and Yéremy Pino supporting striker Jørgen Strand Larsen. The bench included options like Will Hughes, Jefferson Lerma, and Dwight McNeill.
What was Manchester City's team?
Enzo Maresca's Manchester City, who began their title defence with a comeback win over Bournemouth, fielded a strong XI. Gianluigi Donnarumma was in goal. The defence consisted of Abdukodir Khusanov, captain Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol, and Nico O’Reilly. Elliot Anderson and Marc Guéhi were in midfield, behind an attacking trio of Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki, and Antoine Semenyo. Erling Haaland led the line as the central striker. Their substitutes included Mateo Kovačić and Claudio Echeverri.
What was the context for this match?
This Matchday 2 fixture presented a tough early challenge for Palace. They had lost their season opener 2-0 to Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a result that marked Sage's league debut in charge. The team's current league standing reflects a difficult start, having scored just one goal while conceding six across their opening fixtures. You can view their full season statistics on our stats page. The report on the confirmed lineups was first published by Khel Now.
Where does Crystal Palace go from here?
The immediate focus shifts to the next league fixture, an away match against Fulham on September 5. Fulham are currently 14th in the table, offering Palace a key opportunity to get points on the board. With the team six points behind leaders Manchester City already, improving their form is urgent. Fans can track the team's progress in the standings and look ahead to future matches on the fixtures schedule.
