Afternoon folks! In two hours' time it's highly likely that Manchester City will be on top of the Premier League as they welcome Crystal Palace to the Etihad. Team news is just reaching us so let's waste no time in bringing it to you...

CITY XI: Hart; Boyata, Kompany, Nastasic, Clichy; Garcia, Fernandinho; Navas, Silva, Milner; Dzeko

That's a total of six changes made by Manuel Pellegrini as he looks to rest key players. Dedryck Boyata, Matija Nastisic, Gael Clichy, Javi Garcia, James Miler and Edin Dzeko are those who come in, with Yaya Toure and Alvaro Negredo perhaps the biggest absentees.

CITY SUBS: Pantilimon, Lescott, Kolarov, Yaya Toure, Rodwell, Negredo, Nasri

PALACE XI: Speroni; Mariappa, Gabbidon, Delaney, Parr; Ward, Jedinak; Bolasie, Bannan, Puncheon; Jerome

The visitors, meanwhile, are unchanged from their Boxing Day victory at Villa in what looks like a 4-2-3-1 formation. Usual right-back Joel Ward slots in alongside Mile Jedinak in the two-man defensive midfield, with Adrian Mariappa covering on the right of defence.

PALACE SUBS: Price, Moxey, Campana, Jonny Williams, Phillips, Gayle, Chamakh

Palace fans will be glad to see Marouane Chamakh return to the squad after he missed the trip to Villa Park. Thursday's match-winner Dwight Gayle doesn't earn a start despite his fabulous late goal that stole the points.

Speaking of Gayle's heroics, here is that wonderful goal from two days ago:

Both sides come into this match on really good form respective to their positions in the Premier League:

CITY LAST SIX: WWWDWW

PALACE LAST SIX: WLLWWL

City have won six of their last seven games in the top flight, not suffering defeat since November 10's shock loss at lowly Sunderland.

Palace, meanwhile, picked up just four points from their opening 11 games but in the last seven have won four and lost three to clamber out of the bottom three. Pretty good from Tony Pulis since he was appointed, you have to say.

Click here to see the full Premier League table ahead of this afternoon's five games. Four kick off at 3pm and there's one 5.30pm game between Cardiff City and Sunderland.

You can see from the table that City are just one point behind Arsenal at the summit while Palace are only out of the bottom three because their goal difference is one better than Fulham. City have the best goal difference in the league and just look at their home record, played nine, won nine, scored 37, conceded six. That's just over FOUR goals scored a game at the Etihad!

There's one early kickoff that's approaching its close at Upton Park and what a game it is too! West Ham and West Brom are locked at 3-3 with about 10 minutes left. Open this link in a new tab to join Jack Prescott for the closing stages.

The Palace players make their way out to begin warm-ups. #cityvpalace #mcfc https://t.co/XKwwMDiYlM — Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 28, 2013

REFEREE WATCH: The man with the whistle today is Andre Marriner. He has refereed one City game and one Palace game so far this season, overseeing a City win and Palace loss in those games. Not a great omen for Palace's already-slim chances of getting anything out of today's game.

© Getty Images

All over in the early game and it finishes all square as West Ham and West Brom share six goals at Upton Park. Click here for our instant match report with BIG pictures.

H2H: It is nine seasons since these two were last in the Premier League together and that year City won both games. In the game at Selhurst Park Nicolas Anelka scored a match-winning brace while in City's home game, it was Shaun Wright-Phillips who found the net twice in a 3-1 win. Robbie Fowler scored the other.

Despite City's sublime record at home this season, captain Vincent Kompany has warned his teammates and said that Palace won't be easy to beat today.

As always on SM, we have individual live text coverage of every Premier League game today. If you fancy following more than one game at once, find all the links you need here.

PREDICTION TIME! Just 10 minutes until the off in what is sunny Manchester. I'm not expecting a freakish festive result today and have to back City, 3-0 to the home side.

Righty ho, the players are ready and waiting in the tunnel. What must be going through the Palace players' minds when they look across at the superstars in light blue? How many are we going to let in today?

Just before kickoff, we're going to remember those connected with both clubs who passed away in 2013. A nice touch from City.

KICKOFF! And we're off at the Etihad! Surely Palace can't do the unthinkable?

Ward nicks the ball off Fernandinho and looks to start a break but Jerome's touch is heavy. City get the ball back and return it to Fernandinho, who almost picks out Dzeko at the back post with a curling cross but it's just overhit.

CHANCE! First real opening for City's lone striker Dzeko as he beats the offside trap to collect Silva's pass. The ball is on his weaker left foot and he drags the shot wide of the far post.

UPDATE: First goal of the day comes at Villa Park as Gabriel Agbonlahor puts the home side ahead against Swansea City. The red live scores box to the right of this commentary will keep you updated on the goals.

City beginning to turn the screw here as first Silva's corner is deflected over the bar before Navas's shot from 18 yards is blocked by a red and blue shirt.

SHOT! Next to try his luck is Silva, who links up neatly on the edge of the box with Fernandinho before fizzing wide of the upright.

The early possession stats show that City are having three-quarters of the ball, as expected.

Bolasie certainly has an array of skills in his locker and he makes space for a cross down the left before curling over an inviting delivery that's just ahead of Jerome in the middle. Only thing Palace have done so far.

SHOT! Palace have kept City quiet in the last five minutes and just had their first shot at goal via Bolasie, who collected Puncheon's crossfield pass before being given space to cut inside and fire. The visitors are going to have to get their attempts on target when they come and Bolasie couldn't do so their as he pulled it wide.

Dear oh dear. Bolasie wins Palace a free kick about 40 yards out in the middle. Bannan plays it out for Parr who looks nervous and ends up hoofing it out of play when trying to cross.

Milner has a pop from outside the area and strikes it well with his left foot, but it whizzes over the bar.

Dzeko is next to try his luck after skipping his way into the box. The Bosnian's shot was blocked though. Moments later Clichy's deep cross was met by Dzeko but his header back across goal was headed up and out for a corner.

PHOTO: Palace have made it a quarter of the way a quarter of the way through the game without conceding, with Yannick Bolasie, below challenging Boyata for the ball, looking like their most dangerous player:

© Getty Images

JUST WIDE! Milner has another go for the hosts and it's a well-hit low effort that nicks off Gabbidon and flies just wide of the post.

Both sides have pops at goal as first Bolasie's difficult volley is hit into the turf and an easy save for Hart before Silva fires wide from a narrow angle at the other end.

It's Bolasie again who looks like the danger man for Palace as he crosses invitingly into the middle but Jerome can't get a toe to it. Moments later it's Parr down the left for the visitors who crosses and this time Hart comes out to claim just ahead of Jerome's slide.

Replays show that there was a nasty collision between the two and while Hart has treatment on a cut below his eye, it looks like Jerome has injured his knee and won't continue. Chamakh strips off on the touchline.

PALACE SUB: After finally lacing his boots, the Moroccan striker, who has been in form of late, comes on to lead the line for the Eagles.

Silva's slide-rule pass looks perfect for Navas cutting in from the right until Parr slides in to make a great tackle and clear the danger.

MATCH SHOT: @EdDzeko shields the ball from Palace's Danny Gabbidon #cityvpalace #mcfc pic.twitter.com/LsGNDTzHVO

— Manchester City FC (@MCFC) December 28, 2013

SHOT! Silva has City's 13th effort of the game by just keeping the ball in play before blazing high and wide from a tight angle. Of those 13 shots, just one has been on target and that was a speculative long-ranger from Kompany.

WHOOSH! Make that 14 shots, one on target as Fernandinho deliciously lifts the ball over Mariappa before smacking a volley just over the bar.

Just before FIVE minutes of time is added on at the end of the first half, Palace almost create an opening as Bannan's deep corner is missed by everyone, including Bolasie at the back post.

SAVE! Speroni is worked for a second time as he tips Fernandinho's header over the top after a lovely cross from the right by Milner.

City are piling on the pressure before half time here as Dzeko and Fernandinho are both kept out by some last-ditch defending.

Fair play to Palace, they've not been bad at all in the opening 45. Of course, City have bombarded them but haven't had many chances where you think they had to score.

If you're just joining us and want a quick update on the opening 45, read our half-time report by clicking here.

UPDATE: Here are the three other half-time scores in the top flight:

Villa 1-1 Swansea
Hull 0-0 Fulham
Norwich 0-0 Man Utd

Not much to get excited about there! Man Utd are without Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie at Norwich and the Canaries have been on top in the opening 45!

Here is the Premier League table as it stands. Even if City are denied a win, they will still go top on goal difference while Palace are still just outside of the drop zone on goal difference.

By keeping City out in the first half, Palace have done something that no other visiting side has done in the last seven Premier League matches at the Etihad.

Hart makes his way out for the second half despite this nasty cut just below the eye:

PHOTO Joe Hart plays on at the Etihad Stadium despite a cut eye #MCICRY pic.twitter.com/MoHucfWmI6 — Premier League (@premierleague) December 28, 2013

KICKOFF! We're back underway at the Etihad where neither manager has made a half-time change. How long will it be until Pellegrini throws on the likes of Negredo and Yaya? And will Pulis give Gayle a go after his fabulous winner on Thursday?

City straight on the front foot as Silva zips a pass into Dzeko, who plays it on to Milner. The England man crosses low but there's Gabbidon to prod out for a corner, which comes to nothing.

UPDATE: The deadlock has been broken at the KC Stadium as Ahmed Elmohamady puts Hull ahead against Fulham.

SAVE! I remember Puncheon scoring a huge goal for Southampton at Chelsea last season and he's almost done the same for Palace! He jinks inside from the right before lashing at goal, with Hart alert to dive to his left and keep it out. Good stop.

Looks like Pellegrini is ready to shake things up as Negredo and Nasri strip off on the touchline.

CITY SUBS: Negredo, who has scored in his last nine games at the Etihad, replaces Boyata while Nasri comes on for Fernandinho, who had looked dangerous all afternoon.

Boyata's exit means that Milner will shift to right-back.

UPDATE: A couple of goals elsewhere as Hull double their lead over Fulham thanks to Robert Koren while Man Utd are now in front at Norwich, Danny Welbeck the scorer.

Make that 3-0 to Hull as George Boyd surely seals the points for the Tigers.

Navas runs across the edge of the area before laying in Negredo, who slips just as he's about to cross and Palace clear. Just over half an hour left for City now. Surely Palace can't hold out?!

CLOSE! Goodness me, Puncheon almost scores a better goal than Gayle's on Thursday as his curler drifts a yard or so wide of the post. Hart was rooted and wouldn't have saved that.

TIPPED OVER! Who would have thought it? Palace are on top at the Etihad right now. First Bannan was denied by a last-ditch tackle before Jedinak's ripper from 25 yards had to be tipped over the top by Hart.

Aaaah, you have to feel for sorry for Palace as they concede after a spell where they looked like scoring. Nasri's cross from the left was half-cleared to Navas at the back post. The Spaniard took a touch before picking out Dzeko with a cutback and the Bosnian sidefooted powerfully into the top corner.

CLOSE! Oh so close to a Palace equaliser as first Ward's shot is superbly tipped wide by Hart before Delaney heads over from the resulting corner. The Eagles haven't given up yet!

A pair of stats related to that City goal courtesy of @InfostradaLive and @OptaJoe on Twitter:

"Man City score for the 60th consecutive PL home match, a run stretching back to November 2010."

"50 - Edin Dzeko has now scored 50 goals in all competitions for @MCFC, with 34 of those coming in the @premierleague. Landmark."

CITY SUB: Just before the goal, Yaya was getting ready to come on but Pellegrini instead brings on Aleksandar Kolarov for Milner.

It looks as though Kompany has moved over to right-back, with Javi Garcia dropping to centre-back and Kolarov in the middle. Hmmmm.

PALACE SUB: Pulis takes off the lively Bolasie, with promising Welsh youngster Jonny Williams on in his place.

Nice one-two between Kolarov and Nasri before the former whips over a lovely cross that Dzeko meets powerfully but heads straight at Speroni.

Goodness me, Hull are now SIX up on Fulham at the KC. Miserable day for Rene Meulensteen and the Cottagers.

PALACE SUB: With 10 minutes on the clock, Pulis sends on Gayle to see if he can repeat his Boxing Day heroics. He and Chamakh now up top for the Eagles.

PHOTO: Delight or relief on the faces of these City players as they celebrate Dzeko's goal?

© Getty Images

Although City have had a whopping 78% possession, the shots-on-target count lies equal with both sides hitting the target four times.

BOOKING! Silva has his name taken after cynically bringing down Williams.

CLOSE! Dzeko almost wraps up the points by acrobatically managing to head Navas's deep cross back across goal and onto the roof of the net. Three minutes have been added on.

It's 10 wins out of 10 at home for City as they set the highest halfway mark for goals in the Premier League with 54 after 19 games.

You have to heap the praise on Palace though, who were expected to be feasted upon but more than held their own, coming close on several occasions to finding the net.

Three points for City puts them two clear at the top of the table and if Arsenal fail to match that at Newcastle United tomorrow, Manuel Pellegrini's side will be top of the pile when 2014 starts.

Palace, meanwhile, are still outside the drop zone and will be glad to see Hull spank Fulham as that makes their goal difference six better than the Cottagers.

We're just about done here now. Thanks for joining Sports Mole. Stick around on site for plenty of reaction and analysis to the day's games. If you want more LIVE action then click here for our coverage of the late game in Wales between Cardiff and Sunderland. Good evening!