Crystal Palace’s first home game of the 2026/27 Premier League season is a big one as they face Man City. The away team managed a dramatic win in Enzo Maresca’s first game as City boss at The Etihad last week, and it could be another tough game for them against the Eagles.
Games at Selhurst Park under the lights typically generate a good atmosphere and some great matches, and we are expecting the same when the pair meet on Friday evening.
Be sure to check out our betting tips for Crystal Palace vs Man City, and our experts have also shared their best sign up offers for the match. You can get over £400 in free bets from UK betting sites.
Crystal Palace vs Manchester City Betting Offers & Free Bets
With Premier League football on across the weekend, signing up to some new betting sites ahead of the Palace vs City game is a good idea. This is because you can get some free bets from their welcome offers to use on the football.
Betfred have a fantastic sign up offer, which sees you get £50 in free bets when you place a £10 bet, while you can get £40 in free bets with BetMGM.
Check out over £400 in free bets from sign up offers below, and be sure to read the T&Cs to make sure you know how to qualify for the free bets.
- Get paid out as a winner if your team goes 2 goals up in selected leagues
- Enjoy exciting football promotions like Sub Switch and Acca Flex
- Welcome offer gives new customers more free bets than most
- Profit boosts and free football predictors are part of a host of attractive offers
- Power Prices, Wonder Wheel & Acca Insurance among a range of top offers
- Innovative Super Sub offer means bets roll over to the player coming on
- Great Odds & Cash Out feature
- High quality on live-streaming service
- £30 in free bets is a great welcome offer for football bettors
- BV Loyalty Club and Guaranteed Prize Wheel offer reasons to use the site regularly
- Plenty of daily patriotic English focused specials
- Bet Builders available on all the biggest matches
Crystal Palace vs Manchester City Betting Tips
Crystal Palace welcome Manchester City to Selhurst Park for their first home game of the Premier League season on Friday, 28th August at 8:00pm. Following an opening day defeat, Palace face a tough test against a City side also adapting to a new manager. Read on for our expert analysis and betting tips for the match.
Hosts Tipped to Hold Firm at Selhurst Park
Manchester City arrive in South London as the odds-on favourites, but there is value in backing Crystal Palace to avoid defeat. This fixture marks manager Pierre Sage’s first official match at Selhurst Park, which should provide an extra incentive for the hosts.
Palace have proven to be a difficult side to beat on home turf. Last season, they drew nine of their 19 league games at this venue, a tally only exceeded by Bournemouth. Their resilience in front of their own supporters makes the draw an appealing prospect at a significant price.
While City have dominated recent head-to-heads, winning the last two league meetings 3-0, their last visit to Selhurst Park tells a different story. Despite the scoreline, Palace generated more expected goals (1.88 xG vs 1.19 xG) and had more than double the number of shots (16-7), indicating they can create high-quality chances against the champions.
Furthermore, City’s away form in 2026 has been inconsistent. They have won just four of their ten Premier League away matches this calendar year, drawing five and losing one. This suggests they are not infallible on their travels, strengthening the case for a stalemate.
- Free bet rewards offered across various sports to reward most regular customers
- Cash boosts of up to 100% available when your acca wins
Goals Expected from Both Sides in London
The data points towards both teams finding the net in this encounter. Crystal Palace failed to score in seven of their 19 home fixtures last term, a record their new manager will be keen to improve upon immediately.
Despite that statistic, the ‘Both Teams to Score – Yes’ market was a winning selection in 10 of Palace’s 19 home games, representing a 53% strike rate. This suggests that when they do score at Selhurst Park, the matches tend to be open affairs.
Manchester City’s defensive record on the road also supports this selection. The champions conceded at least one goal in six of their ten away league fixtures in 2026. Their opening-day performance against Bournemouth, where they needed late goals to secure a 2-1 win, showed they are still adjusting under Enzo Maresca.
Palace possess enough attacking quality with players like Jean-Philippe Mateta and Yeremy Pino to trouble a City defence in transition. Although they drew a blank against Everton, they created 1.96 xG, suggesting a lack of finishing rather than a lack of opportunities was the issue.
- Daily odds boosts across all major sports
- Dedicated Game Show tab with 30+ games to play and interact with
Haaland to Rediscover His Scoring Touch
Erling Haaland will be central to Manchester City’s ambitions again this season after finishing the 2025/26 campaign as the Premier League’s top scorer with 27 goals. He is the focal point of their attack and will be eager to get off the mark for the new term.
The Norwegian striker failed to convert any of his five shots against Bournemouth on matchday one, generating a significant 0.74 xG in the process. This high volume of attempts suggests he is getting into dangerous positions and that goals are imminent.
History in this fixture strongly supports backing Haaland to score multiple goals. The last time Manchester City visited Selhurst Park, he scored a brace, with his second coming from the penalty spot in the 89th minute. His record against Palace makes him a prime candidate to deliver a decisive performance.
- Enter Super6 and ITV7 with your Sky Bet details to play for a huge jackpot
- Win exclusive prizes, EFL tickets and more with Sky Bet’s Prize Drop
