Manchester City
Tosin Ogunrinde
Manchester city keeps title race alive with a 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Etihad on May 13, 2026. The victory cut Arsenal’s lead at the top to two points and ensured the race will go to the final week. With two games left for each side, City’s win means Arsenal must win their remaining fixtures to guarantee the trophy.
Pep Guardiola rotated his side heavily ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup final against Chelsea. Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki all started on the bench, but City’s depth still proved too much for Palace. Phil Foden was the standout, producing a backheel assist for Antoine Semenyo’s opener in the 32nd minute and then playing the pass that led to Omar Marmoush making it 2-0 eight minutes later. Savinho sealed the result with a composed finish in the 84th minute.
The game underlined City’s control at home. They finished with 72% possession, 645 passes to Palace’s 215, and 15 shots to Palace’s 6. Palace managed only one shot on target and 0.68 xG, struggling to break through a City defense marshaled by Rúben Dias and Marc Guéhi. Guéhi, facing his former club, was solid throughout and has become a key part of Guardiola’s backline since joining in January.
City’s form has been relentless in the run-in. They are unbeaten in 13 Premier League games and have gone 16 matches without defeat at the Etihad. The 3-0 win was their third of the season against Palace after a similar result in the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park in December. That consistency has kept pressure on Arsenal, who still sit top but now know they cannot afford a slip.
For Palace, the focus has shifted away from the league. Oliver Glasner’s side are safe on 44 points and confirmed their Premier League status with a 2-2 draw against Everton last weekend. With the Conference League final later this month, Glasner rested several players, including Eddie Nketiah, Cheick Doucoure and Evann Guessand. Jean-Philippe Mateta started up front but found little space against City’s organized defense.
The title implications were clear before kickoff. City knew anything less than three points could hand Arsenal the league if they beat Burnley on Monday. The win kept City on 77 points with a game in hand used up, while Arsenal sit on 79. Guardiola’s side now travel to Bournemouth for their next league game, hoping Arsenal drop points in their run-in.
City’s squad rotation also reflects the balancing act Guardiola faces. With the FA Cup final just three days after the Palace game, he gave minutes to players like Semenyo and Marmoush, both of whom have impressed in recent weeks. Marmoush’s goal was his fifth in the league since joining in January, adding another option alongside Haaland for the final stretch.
As the season enters its last week, the narrative is simple: Arsenal control their destiny, but City are not letting go. The Etihad win kept the pressure on, and with City’s home form and squad depth, they remain dangerous even with a two-point gap. Whether Arsenal can hold their nerve will decide the title, but City have done everything they can to make the final week count.
