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LONDON. — Manchester City could wrap up a third English Premier League title, in four seasons, tomorrow.
However, Manchester United can keep their local rivals waiting, by inflicting further damage on Liverpool’s hopes, of a return to the Champions League next season.
City’s 10-point lead, with just five games remaining, means it is a matter of when, not if, they will collect the second trophy of a potential treble.
Pep Guardiola’s men lifted the League Cup for the fourth consecutive season last weekend before taking a huge step towards the Champions League final with a 2-1 semi-final, first leg win away to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
The return leg against PSG is likely to play a big factor in Guardiola’s team selection for today’s trip to Crystal Palace.
However, one of the hallmarks of City’s success this season has been their strength in depth, giving Guardiola plenty of options should he choose to rotate his squad once more.
Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho, Ferran Torres and Aymeric Laporte are among those who did not get off the bench in Paris in midweek and could start against the Eagles.
Palace have won just once in their last seven games as they meander towards the end of the season with safety in the top-flight secured for another season.
Should City move to within three points of the title today, all eyes will turn to Old Trafford as last season’s champions will look to clinch them the title.
“It’s a big game whenever we play Liverpool,” captain, Harry Maguire, told ESPN. “We want to win and we expect to win.
“I joined the club to win trophies, to lift trophies. Every player who plays for Manchester United expects to win trophies. In recent years, we haven’t managed to do that, so we’ve got to improve.”
Chelsea may be in pole position for the fourth Champions League place, but Thomas Tuchel’s men can ill afford to be distracted by the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid on Wednesday, when facing Fulham in a west London derby.
The Blues opened up a three-point cushion over fifth-placed West Ham with a 1-0 win at the London Stadium last weekend.
But, Chelsea face a tough run in with matches against City, Leicester and Arsenal plus another meeting with Leicester in the FA Cup final in the final month of the season.
English Premiership Fixtures
Today: Crystal Palace v Manchester City (1:30pm); Brighton & Hove Albion v Leeds United (4pm); Chelsea v Fulham (6:30pm); Everton v Aston Villa (9pm).
Tomorrow: Newcastle United v Arsenal (3pm); Manchester United v Liverpool (5:30pm); Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United (8:15pm).
Monday: West Bromwich Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers (7pm); Burnley v West Ham United (9:15pm). — AFP.
Online Reporter