- Pep Guardiola has warned the Premier League against interfering with Crystal Palace’s team selection plans against Arsenal
- Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is considering rotating players ahead of the Conference League final
- Manchester City remain two points behind Arsenal with the title race heading into the final stretch
Pep Guardiola has urged the Premier League to stay out of Crystal Palace’s selection decisions ahead of Arsenal’s potentially decisive clash at Selhurst Park.
With the title race entering its final stage, attention has shifted toward whether Crystal Palace will field a weakened side against the Gunners on the last day of the season.
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The Eagles’ manager Oliver Glasner recently hinted that some key players could be rested due to the club’s upcoming UEFA Conference League final, scheduled just three days later.
That possibility has already triggered debate among fans and pundits, with some questioning whether Arsenal could gain an advantage at a crucial point in the title race.
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Guardiola defends Glasner’s right to rotate
Guardiola made it clear he sees no issue with Crystal Palace prioritising player fitness or squad management ahead of their clash versus Arsenal, The Mirror reports.
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“Leave the managers to do what they have to do,” the Manchester City boss said when asked about the situation.
“The less the Premier League is involved in all the decisions, the better for all of us.”
The Man City manager backed Glasner’s freedom to approach the remaining fixtures however he sees fit, insisting no outside pressure should influence team selection.
The comments come at a sensitive stage of the campaign, where every decision is being closely examined due to the tight race between Arsenal and Man City.
Man City keeping the pressure on Arsenal
Meanwhile, Man City kept their title hopes alive with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium, per Yahoo Sports.
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After a tense opening spell, January signing Antoine Semenyo broke the deadlock following a clever assist from Phil Foden. Omar Marmoush added a second soon after, continuing his strong recent form.
Guardiola’s men eventually wrapped up the result in the second half after substitute Rayan Cherki set up Savinho with an excellent through ball.
The win moved Man City back within two points of Arsenal with both clubs having two league games remaining.
Fatigue becoming a major concern
Despite the victory, Guardiola admitted his Man City squad is beginning to feel the effects of a packed schedule.
The City boss revealed he rested stars like Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku, and Rayan Cherki partly because of fatigue ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.
Man City still face an FA Cup final against Chelsea before closing the league season against Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
Guardiola admitted the physical demands are beginning to catch up with his players, but he insisted Man City will continue pushing Arsenal until the final day.
Supercomputer predicts Premier League winner
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Opta’s supercomputer has updated its prediction for the 2025/26 Premier League season after Manchester City defeated Crystal Palace.
Manchester City closed the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table to two points after their 1-0 win over Palace at the Etihad Stadium.
Source: Legit.ng