Crystal Palace can upset Arsenal on the Premier League final day, warns Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Manchester City can retain hope going into the final day of Premier League fixtures in a fortnight’s time, insists Pep Guardiola.

The title race has reached it crescendo following Arsenal’s narrow victory over West Ham last weekend, with the Gunners having now established a five-point cushion at the summit of the division.

However, Manchester City’s game in hand – a crucial home clash against Crystal Palace this Wednesday – represents the first of three finals for the club, retaining hope of a favour from either Burnley or the Eagles in Arsenal’s remaining contests.

Pep Guardiola’s men are firmly in the knowledge that any further slip-up effectively hands the crown to Mikel Arteta’s side, while the narrative in South London is dominated by Oliver Glasner’s impending departure and a historic European run.

Crystal Palace have defied odds to reach the Conference League final in Leipzig, with Guardiola quick to remind his players and fans that Selhurst Park remains one of the most volatile environments for title challengers, with Arsenal scheduled to visit on the final day.

Pep Guardiola praises Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner

Looking ahead to Manchester City’s clash with Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday night, Pep Guardiola said of the South London club, “Always it has been a tough game since Patrick Vieira or Roy Hodgson especially, and now Oliver [Glasner].

“They have a European final, so maybe struggled a little bit in the Premier League with a lot of changes, the manager is leaving as announced from a long time ago, and maybe they were not consistent but the quality is there, the patterns are there.”

Discussing manager Oliver Glasner in particular, Guardiola said, “Well in Germany he made an incredible job, an experienced manager, and no doubts.

“Top team with as they’ve had in the past with [Michael] Olise, [Jean-Philippe] Mateta, [Eberechi] Eze, [Adam] Wharton, Marc [Guehi], [Daniel] Munoz, clear patterns, really, really good and tough to beat. Always it has been!”

Pep Guardiola’s Arsenal warning ahead of final day

Arsenal will travel to Selhurst Park on the final day of the Premier League season, hoping that it could be the day they clinch the English top-flight crown, should they defeat Burnley and Manchester City continue to win their remaining matches until then.

On whether Palace could heavily rotate their line-up in the knowledge that they have a major European final just days later, Guardiola insisted, “They are so professional, the teams.

“Crystal Palace will play top against us, we saw Leeds yesterday against Spurs how even being out of the relegation battle, they are in the Premier League again and how they compete.

“We’ve played here against Aston Villa in the past or West Ham with nothing to play for, and it was so difficult. So I’m pretty sure they’ll do their best [against Arsenal] knowing that, of course, they have the [UEFA Europa Conference League] final three days later.”

The logistics of Crystal Palace’s schedule could play a massive role in the destination of the Premier League trophy, with the Conference League final set for just 72 hours after a meeting with Arsenal at home on the final weekend of the English top-flight campaign.

While Pep Guardiola preaches caution, the reality of player preservation is a factor that Manchester City fans will be watching closely, but if Palace can take points off the Gunners, it may open the door for City to complete a dramatic final day heist.

City must first take care of their business, knowing they must certainly defeat Crystal Palace at home this week, before doing the same against Bournemouth on the South Coast just days after the FA Cup final against Chelsea, and Aston Villa at home on the final day.