Leading up to the games this weekend just before Christmas, Jurgen Klopp mentioned that Manchester City currently doesn’t have any weak points. Pep Guardiola and Roy Hodgson didn’t engage in mind games, but Hodgson managed to lead his Crystal Palace team to a surprising victory at the Etihad Stadium.
City is feeling the heat from Liverpool in the title race more than ever before, causing them to struggle in the upcoming weeks. They now find themselves four points behind their rivals and their upcoming matches against Leicester City and Southampton have suddenly gained significant importance.
City’s dominating performance in the 2017-18 title-winning season was achieved without much pressure as their competitors were consistently beaten on their way to a historic 100 points and 108 goals. However, this season, the pressure is on from Liverpool, making their Christmas fixtures crucial.
Roy Hodgson commented after Palace’s 3-2 win over City, “They are a strong team with a good bench. We didn’t come here thinking we had no chance but believed we could give a good performance.”
