When Marc Guehi left Crystal Palace for Manchester City in January, the South Londoners expected him to be a success at the Etihad. The English centre-back headed to the Cityzens in a £20m deal with just six months left on his contract.
For years, Palace fans have been pointing out to the rest of the Premier League just how good Guehi is. Some rival supporters weren’t willing to listen because they needed to assess the 25-year-old at a European giant.
Guehi glows at City
Any doubts over Guehi needing time to become a key man in Pep Guardiola’s defence have been firmly put to bed. He has made a remarkable start to life in Manchester, and if City are to beat Arsenal to the title, he is the man who will have made the difference.
Guehi captained Palace to the FA Cup last season, ironically playing in the 1-0 final win over City at Wembley. He put in a dominant display, one of many during his four-and-a-half years with the South London outfit.
The Holmesdale End watched Guehi’s growth, beginning in July 2021 when he arrived as a bright defensive prospect signed from Chelsea. He quickly cemented a regular starting berth in the Eagles’ team and took the captain’s armband from Joel Ward in 2024.
Guehi put in performances that earn him a place among the all-time greats to have graced Selhurst Park. He also possessed the right mentality, putting the team first even when a move to Liverpool was pulled away from him at the very last minute.
The Reds decided not to come back in for the England international in January, and they may live to regret it. City instead moved for the Abidjan-born centre-back, handing him hefty £250,000-per-week wages (per Capology).
| Marc Guehi (Premier League 2025-26) | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Appearances: | 26 |
| Goals: | 2 |
| Assists: | 2 |
| Passes (completed%): | 1,547 (88%) |
| Total tackles: | 37 |
| Interceptions: | 33 |
| Blocks: | 18 |
| Duels won: | 134 |
| Aerial duels won: | 70 |
Guehi has repaid the Sky Blues with world-class displays that Palace supporters raved about to others. Guardiola’s title challengers have yet to lose a single game with their new signing in their team.
A 1-0 win over Leeds United on Saturday made it six wins and one draw in seven games. That includes his man-of-the-match performance in a 2-1 win over Liverpool.
Premier League finally wakes up
Guehi is starting to truly be recognised as one of the best central defenders in Europe thanks to his move to City. That is a tad frustrating for Palace fans who pointed this out throughout his spell at Selhurst Park.
Ollie Thomas, a popular Eagles supporter, predicted Guehi’s impact. He said on TikTok:
“Man City get the future of England’s backline for £20m. He is so composed on the ball and he’s a leader… His level can be raised by someone like Pep.”
When supporters were alerted to his unbeaten start since joining Guardiola’s Cityzens, they realised the enormous talent that he is. They responded to a tweet from TNT Sports.
An Arsenal fan conceded that Guehi has been a “game changer”, writing on X:
“They were swallowing goals for fun before he joined, Guehi has been a game changer for Man city and I hate it. He already scored too.”
A Chelsea supporter replied:
“He’s a top defender. You hardly lose a game when you have a top defender.”
A Liverpool fan added:
“Have to say, Guehi and Cherki for a combined £40m is a ridiculous steal. Our LFC recruitment has convinced US Corporate to spend big (credit where it’s due) but seems to have lost the knack of securing these types of deals.”
A City fan gave a bold take:
“Bargain of the century!”
Guehi will be eager to win the Premier League title with his new side sitting second, two points behind leaders Arsenal. He will go down as a Palace legend, and his start at the Etihad suggests he’ll achieve a similar legacy at City.
