Neither team played particularly well in the derby – it was all too cosy and cautious – but Manchester City will probably feel the happier having gone back to the top of the table and also got arguably their toughest game of the season out of the way.
But there were some slightly sluggish performances and Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini will want a return to victory despite the fact that another big league game lies in wait at the weekend.
Crystal Palace have been flying this season and, while they will clearly be prioritising Premier League consolidation there is enough attacking quality in this squad to suggest that even a more experimental line up can cause Manchester City problems.
But City will fully expect to exploit their home advantage and get the job done with a strong starting line up.
Nasri, Aguero, Silva, Delph, and Clichy will all miss this one but the brilliant Spaniard could be back next weekend.
So here is our XI for the game.
Manchester City fans: Let’s have your teams
