With the final match of the season fast approaching, Manchester City defeated Crystal Palace 3-0 to cut their Premier League lead over Arsenal to two points.
Published May 13, 2026
Manchester City’s second-team defeated Crystal Palace 3-0 on Wednesday, moving them two points clear of Premier League leaders Arsenal with two games left in the fascinating title race.
Manager Josep Guardiola made six changes from the side that beat Brentford 3-0 at the weekend, with Erling Haaland and Jeremy Dok also on the bench and Palace manager Oliver Glasner also making adjustments.
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First-half goals from Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmouche put City in the lead at a damp Etihad, while Sabigno’s late strike added some sparkle to the scoreline.
The title race seemed to be tilting in City’s favor in recent weeks, but last week’s 3-3 draw at Everton put Arsenal firmly back in the box.
As the Gunners battled to a 1-0 win on Sunday, City players suffered as they watched their stoppage-time equalizer between West Ham and Arsenal be ruled out after a VAR check.
City took the lead in style in the 32nd minute when Phil Foden set up Semenyo with a superb back pass, and Semenyo coolly slotted his way past Dean Henderson and into the far corner of the goal.
Eight minutes later, Foden extended the lead again, with Marmouche touching the ball and celebrating his third Premier League goal of the season.
John Stones left at the end of the season, but was given a rapturous reception when he came on as a substitute at the end of an unforgettable second period.
A few minutes later, Rayan Cherki ran with the ball from his own half and set up Sabinho, who passed the ball past Henderson.
The three-goal victory took City to 77 points, two behind Arsenal. City have a plus-one advantage on goal difference and have scored seven more goals.
City will face Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday as they aim for a double domestic cup after winning the League Cup earlier this season.
Before Wednesday’s kick-off, Guardiola explained his multiple changes, saying: “Everyone is fit, even when the schedule is very tight. Everyone needs help.”
Despite the close margin, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal remain the overwhelming favorites to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004.
If the Gunners beat relegated Burnley next Monday, City must beat Champions League-chasing Bournemouth the next day to stay in the title race.
On the final day of the season, May 24, Arsenal will face Palace, while City, currently unbeaten in 14 league games, will face Aston Villa.
Foden said the title fight was still on.
“At the end of the day, this is a team game. If we want to win titles and trophies, it’s important that everyone in the team plays their part,” Foden told Sky Sports.
“The goal is to keep pushing and keep them on their toes. We saw that a lot can happen on the last day.
“We’ve experienced many times when the game doesn’t go our way. We just have to keep pushing and keep doing our part.”
Palace have their eyes set on the UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on May 27, which will be Glasner’s last game in charge of the south London club.
