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City Player Ratings: Convincing 3-0 Victory Over Palace Keeps Title Race Tense

City’s 3-0 win over Palace keeps the title race alive; two games remain and Arsenal lead by two yet

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Manchester City produced a 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Etihad on Wednesday, a result that maintains a tight title race with Arsenal. The three points ensured that Arsenal would not be able to wrap up the league this weekend with a single win over relegated Burnley.

The scoring began in the 32nd minute when Phil Foden back-heeled the ball to Antoine Semenyo, who, positioned inside the box with his back to goal, required one touch to turn and beat the goalkeeper. Eight minutes later Omar Marmoush doubled the lead, allowing the ball to roll past before taking a first-time right-footed shot over Dean Henderson’s legs. City sealed the win in the 84th minute as Savinho threaded a skilful run through Palace’s backline and finished a left-footed flick into the side netting.

The Cityzens sit two points behind Arsenal at the top of the Premier League with both teams holding two games remaining. Arsenal still control their destiny: win both remaining matches against Burnley and Palace and they will secure the title. If Arsenal record a win and a draw while City win both of their remaining fixtures against Bournemouth and Aston Villa, the two clubs would finish level on 83 points and the title would be decided by goal difference, and then by goals scored if necessary.

City will hope either Burnley or Palace can challenge Arsenal in the coming rounds. Burnley are considered unlikely to upset the Gunners, but Palace could pose a threat, particularly if Mikel Arteta partially rotates his squad ahead of the Champions League final. Palace themselves may adjust personnel given their Conference League final follows their fixture with Arsenal.

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Player ratings:

GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—8.0: Relatively untested on the night.

RB: Matheus Nunes—7.2: Combined well with Savinho.

CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—7.6: Solid outing for the Uzbekistan international.

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CB: Marc Guéhi—7.8: Was patient on the ball. Did well to penetrate the space the Eagles gave him.

LB: Joško Gvardiol—6.6: Looked comfortable and collected, despite taking the pitch for the first time since January.

CM: Bernardo Silva—7.4: Was highly successful at breaking down Palace’s midfield lines.

RM: Savinho—8.2: Had creative looks to switch the field, but lacked accuracy early in the match. Brilliant in his late goal.

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AM: Phil Foden—8.9: Two assists for the Englishman, who had a point to prove.

LM: Rayan Aït-Nouri—7.1: Rejoined the starting lineup. Was dynamic high up the left flank.

ST: Antoine Semenyo—7.2: Took a rare central position and struggled to get involved at times, but came through when it mattered.

ST: Omar Marmoush—7.9: Proved the star power of striker Erling Haaland wasn’t needed.

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Subs: Nathan Aké (58’ for Nunes)—6.3; Jérémy Doku (58’ for Gvardiol)—6.0; Rayan Cherki (79’ for Marmoush)—7.6; Mateo Kovacic (79’ for Silva)—6.5; John Stones (82’ for Foden)—N/A.

Subs not used: James Trafford (GK), Rúben Dias, Tijjani Reijnders, Erling Haaland.

Match statistics: Possession 72% – 28%; Expected Goals (xG) 1.56 – 0.68; Total Shots 15 – 6; Shots on Target 4 – 2; Big Chances 3 – 0; Pass Accuracy 89% – 77%; Fouls Committed 10 – 7.

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Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace Move Closer to Deal for Zavier Gozo

Crystal Palace are advancing on a deal for Zavier Gozo after the winger’s strong season for Real Salt Lake.

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Crystal Palace are said to be moving towards the signing of Zavier Gozo, with talks over the Real Salt Lake winger described as advanced. The 19-year-old American is expected to cost in the region of $15 million, or £11.1 million, as the Premier League club look to secure one of the more sought-after young attackers linked with Europe this summer.

According to the report, Aston Villa and Atlético Madrid were also among the clubs to show interest, but Palace have emerged as the leading contenders for his signature. Gozo’s rise has accelerated quickly since his breakthrough 2025 campaign, when he established himself as a regular starter for Real Salt Lake and finished the season with 31 appearances and seven goal contributions.

He has carried that form into the current season, producing six goals and four assists in only 16 appearances. That output earned him a place in the 2026 MLS All-Star selection and has strengthened the sense that a move away could now be imminent.

If the transfer is completed, Gozo would arrive at a club already familiar with USMNT centre-back Chris Richards. The defender was central to Palace’s Conference League-winning run, though he missed the final through injury, and would offer a useful reference point as Gozo adjusts to English football.

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The winger would also be entering a Premier League environment that already includes several Americans, among them Antonee Robinson at Fulham, Tyler Adams at Bournemouth and Brenden Aaronson at Leeds United. The draft also notes that Richards, Robinson and Adams have become permanent fixtures in Pochettino’s XI and featured for the USMNT on home soil this summer.

Palace finished 15th last season and saw Oliver Glasner leave at the end of the campaign. Under Pierre Sage, and with Europa League football ahead in 2026-27, the club are aiming for a stronger year. Gozo, who last represented the U-23 side during the November international break, has not yet made his senior USMNT debut but will be hoping to push into Pochettino’s plans for September and October, when Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada are next on the schedule.

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Analytics & Stats

One priority signing each Premier League club should target before the window closes

A club-by-club look at the main transfer priority every Premier League side still needs to address.

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With less than a month left in the transfer window, Premier League clubs are still expected to be busy. Incomings and outgoings remain likely across the division, and every side still appears to have at least one clear gap to fill before the deadline.

Arsenal may be attracting attention with their pursuit of Vinícius Júnior, but their bigger need is in central midfield. Declan Rice carried too much of the load last season, while Martín Zubimendi faded after the break and Myles Lewis-Skelly is not yet fully trusted there. Another box-to-box midfielder would help enormously.

Aston Villa could soon be short at left back if Lucas Digne leaves, which would leave Ian Maatsen as the only senior option. Bournemouth need more depth in wide areas, Brentford still require a more natural left back, and Brighton & Hove Albion must replace the goals lost with Danny Welbeck’s move to Chelsea.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have done plenty of work already but still have not addressed the goalkeeper position. Robert Sánchez improved in 2025-26, yet the club still look in need of a top-class solution.

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Elsewhere, Coventry City are close to signing Carl Rushworth permanently and would then turn to left back. Crystal Palace need centre-back reinforcements after losing Marc Guéhi and Maxence Lacroix, while Everton must add a defensive midfielder after Idrissa Gana Gueye’s departure.

Fulham will look for winger depth after strengthening up front, Hull City want more options in attack, and Ipswich Town are still waiting for a central midfielder. Leeds United may also need another striker to cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury record.

Liverpool’s most pressing issue is out wide, Manchester City need a right back, Manchester United still want a more destructive midfielder, and Newcastle are alarmingly short at left back. Nottingham Forest must replace Elliot Anderson in midfield, Sunderland need more balance on the left side, and Tottenham Hotspur have already moved aggressively to rebuild after last season’s collapse.

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Arsenal

Premier League’s longest-serving managers and the rapid reset shaping 2026/27

A summer reset has left the Premier League with a long list of new managers and just one clear outlier.

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The Premier League remains a ruthless place for managers, and the 2026/27 season begins with that reality clearer than ever. A summer of upheaval has left dugouts across the division occupied by a fresh wave of appointments, while one club is still waiting to name a new head coach.

At the top of the list, Mikel Arteta stands alone as the league’s longest-serving manager. Appointed by Arsenal on Dec. 22, 2019, he has outlasted every other current rival and remains comfortably ahead of the pack. Behind him comes Unai Emery, who has been in charge of Aston Villa since Nov. 1, 2022, followed by Daniel Farke, who took over Leeds United on July 4, 2023.

Further down the rankings, the turnover becomes even more obvious. Régis Le Bris and Fabian Hürzeler both arrived in July 2024, while Frank Lampard, David Moyes, Sergej Jakirović, Keith Andrews and Michael Carrick all joined their clubs during 2024 and 2025. The list then tightens further still, with a cluster of appointments made only months before the new campaign.

There are notable cases throughout. Roberto De Zerbi, hired by Tottenham Hotspur on March 31, 2026, sits just outside the top 10. Michael Carrick is inside it after first being named interim Manchester United boss in January and then permanently hired in May. At the other extreme, Álvaro Arbeloa is the latest arrival, taking charge of Fulham on July 7 after an unsuccessful spell as Real Madrid boss.

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A number of other clubs have also changed course recently, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. Over half the division has turned to new managers in 2026 if Newcastle United are included, with the club still yet to appoint Eddie Howe’s successor.

For now, Arteta remains the benchmark for staying power in a league that rarely gives managers much time.

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