- Crystal Palace vs Manchester City date confirmed
- City’s request snubbed by the Premier League
- Palace’s chance to decide the title winners
Crystal Palace have had a game in hand over the rest of the Premier League for some time now, their success and progression in Europe preventing the rescheduling of the league fixture against Manchester City.
As the season approaches the final weeks, the importance of this game has increased tenfold, with City gaining ground on Arsenal at the top of the table and setting up a mouth-watering race for Premier League glory.
Palace also play hosts to Arsenal on the final day of the season, therefore taking on some heavy responsibility in the outcome of the title race.
City’s request broken down
Manchester City had requested to the Premier League that the game against the Eagles be rescheduled and swapped with their Premier League fixture against Bournemouth.
The logic behind the request is that, with the current schedule now confirmed, City would face Bournemouth three days after the FA Cup final against Chelsea. That would mean that Bournemouth had over a week’s rest before their game against City.
Whereas, if the fixture was to swap with the suggested date for the Palace game, the Cherries would have just four days rest after their league game against Fulham.
Bournemouth are hot in pursuit of European football, and a home game against City with over a week of rest would provide them the opportunity to cause an upset.
City’s thinking appeared to be that Palace will be laser-focused on the Conference League. The Eagles would have no respite, no matter the selected date. Either playing three days after Everton’s visit to Selhurst Park, with the confirmed date of May 13th, or two days after their trip to Brentford.
This is likely the logic behind the Premier League’s refusal, which is a positive sign that the bigger clubs are not being prioritised ahead of those below them.
Palace in the title race
Whilst Palace of course are not directly involved in this season’s title race, they do certainly have the ability to influence the outcome of this campaign. No other side in the League play both City and Arsenal in their remaining fixtures, and with the title race looking to continue to the final day of the season, Palace have the chance to influence where the trophy is lifted.
Facing Arsenal at Selhurst Park on the final day could well mean that the Premier League trophy is raised at Palace’s home ground, but there is also the potential for Palace to deny Arsenal that feat.
There is of course the possibility that Palace lose to both sides and therefore have little impact, but aside from the two sides involved directly, Oliver Glasner’s side are the only other team with the power in their hands to impact who earns the bragging rights this season.
