Pep Guardiola confident Crystal Palace will not roll over for Man City or Arsenal in title race clashes

Pep Guardiola anticipates a formidable challenge from Crystal Palace as Manchester City continue their pursuit of Premier League leaders Arsenal , with the Eagles also poised to play a pivotal role in the title race. City must secure victory in their rearranged fixture against Palace on Wednesday to maintain pressure on the Gunners at the top of the table. Oliver Glasner’s side could significantly influence the title outcome, as they are also scheduled to face Arsenal on the final day of the season.

However, with a Conference League final to prepare for after that match, Glasner has hinted at squad rotation. The Austrian manager stated on the weekend: "I’m responsible for Crystal Palace and I get paid for doing the best things for Crystal Palace and not for City and not for Arsenal. " Despite the possibility of changes, Guardiola expects Palace to remain a difficult opponent.

Man City need to beat Crystal Palace to keep the pressure on Arsenal (PA Wire) He told reporters at his press conference on Tuesday: "They are so professional. Crystal Palace will play top against us. " Drawing parallels, he added: "We saw Leeds against Spurs yesterday, how they are now out of the relegation battle, but how they compete.

We’ve played here against Aston Villa and West Ham in the past when they had nothing to play for and saw how difficult it was. “So I‘m pretty sure they will do their best even though they have a final a few days later. They have always been tough games.