Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Manchester City and Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium. This showdown brings together two sides that have largely struggled for form since the turn of the new year, with neither team able to truly find any momentum.

That said, City are given a glorious chance to stake their claim at the summit of the Premier League table this afternoon with victory, although their time at the top could be cut short should surprise package Leicester City gain a point at rivals Aston Villa in the day's late kickoff. Plenty of drama can be expected, then, on what should be another highly entertaining matchday of top-flight action!

TEAM NEWS!

MANCHESTER CITY XI: Hart; Zabaleta, Otamendi, Demichelis, Kolarov; Fernando, Delph, De Bruyne, Silva; Aguero, Iheanacho

CRYSTAL PALACE XI: Hennessey; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare; Ledley, Cabaye; Puncheon, McArthur, Zaha; Wickham

Starting with the visiting side, and there is a return to the starting lineup for Connor Wickham at the Etihad. The summer signing was a half-time substitute in the Eagles' disappointing defeat to Aston Villa last time out and, having sufficiently overcome his recent injury problem, he will be given a run-out from the start this afternoon to bolster Palace's attacking ranks.

That is the only change made by Palace boss Alan Pardew, who has opted to largely keep faith with the team that fell to a 1-0 reverse in midweek. Yannick Bolasie remains absent from attack - a huge blow for a visiting side who have desperately struggled in front of the target in recent weeks. It is now four games without a goal for the Eagles, but could the return of Wickham provide some much-needed attacking impetus?

In terms of the hosts, manager Manuel Pellegrini has made five changes to the team that was held to a rare goalless draw by Everton on home soil last time out. Yaya Toure and Raheem Sterling both drop down to the bench as the Chilean perhaps looks to freshen things up a little, while David Silva and Kelechi Iheanacho are integrated back into the first-team fold for this 3pm kickoff.

Fabian Delph is also preferred to Jesus Navas in the middle, meaning a slight reshuffle that sees Pellegrini go with two men up top; Aguero partnering Iheanacho - the match winner in the reverse fixture - in attack. Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov take Gael Clichy and Bakary Sagna's place in the full-back berths, meanwhile, with Zabaleta making his 200th Premier League appearance.

BENCH WATCH!

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Caballero, Sagna, Clichy, Navas, Sterling, Toure, Humphreys

CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Speroni, Kelly, Jedinak, Mutch, Lee, Chamakh, Campbell

So Pellegrini certainly looking to rotate his side this afternoon, just a few days on from that relatively disappointing stalemate against Everton here. Toure, Sterling, Navas, Sagna and Clichy all drop down to the bench, but each will no doubt be eager to play some part during the contest. Palace, on the other hand, have Marouane Chamakh and Fraizer Campbell among their attacking options.

Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew makes just the one change to his starting lineup for the trip to the Etihad Stadium, as fit-again Connor Wickham starts up top. That means a place in the side for Wayne Hennessey, despite his howler in the defeat to Aston Villa last time out. Manchester City make five changes, meanwhile, with Raheem Sterling and Yaya Toure among those to drop out.

© Getty Images

This afternoon's match provides title-chasers City with a real opportunity to get their campaign firmly back on track. The Citizens have struggled for momentum all season really, particularly since the turn of the year thanks to two draws, two victories and one defeat in all competitions. They still remain on track for the quadruple, though, so you have to say that they are still on track regardless of what the form book suggests.

With Leicester playing later today and Arsenal not facing off against Stoke until tomorrow evening, City could well find themselves at the top of the table come 5pm this evening. The flipside of all this is that the Citizens could see their title hopes take a real battering should they slip up once more against the Eagles, just a few days on from their rare shutout against the Toffees.

It had been nearly a year since City's last blank on home soil, but thanks to Arsenal also dropping points there was not any real damage done at the top. Leicester still find themselves in the hunt, and they must surely now be considered challengers, yet it is the Gunners which Pellegrini will be most concerned about in his pursuit of a second Premier League crown. This is likely to be a battle that goes right down to the wire once more.

Speaking after the Everton game, Pellegrini insisted that he was not concerned by his side's performance. The Citizens perhaps should have had a penalty at the death when John Stones brought down Sterling, yet the Chilean was frank when admitting that his charges had plenty of other openings to get the job done. They simply cannot afford to be quite so profligate this afternoon if they are indeed going to return to the top.

Man City also remain the division's top scorers on home soil heading into this weekend's fixtures, having found the net 29 times already. They also struck five times against today's opponents in the League Cup back in October, so you get the sense that what we saw in midweek was very much a blip rather than the norm. That was also the Citizens' first draw at the Etihad this term, with 15 wins in their last 18 on their home patch giving them one of the best records in the country.

There is no denying that City have been far too inconsistent in recent months, however, and with questions continually being asked of Pellegrini the pressure will no doubt continue to grow. The two-time Prem champs have constantly done just about enough to keep themselves there or thereabouts at the top, but any sort of slip-up could now prove fatal with over half the campaign played.

This City squad certainly boasts plenty of strength in depth, though, which Pellegrini has highlighted this afternoon by introducing five fresh faces. Toure is among those to drop out, which is a little surprising when taking his record against Palace into consideration. The African midfielder has four in five against the Eagles, which is in stark contrast to teammate Sergio Aguero who can boast only one in five against Palace in the top flight.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS! City have won six of the seven Premier League meetings between these two sides, although they required a late Kelechi Iheanacho strike to get the job done in the reverse meeting earlier this season. Palace also fell to a 5-1 defeat here in the League Cup in October, just a month on from the 1-0 loss in the league, while they have also failed to score in four of the last five Prem fixtures.

Manchester City required a late Kelechi Iheanacho goal to overcome Crystal Palace the last time these two sides met in the Premier League back in September.

© Getty Images

City may have their eyes on an unlikely quadruple, but for Palace attention is firmly fixed on success in the FA Cup and Premier League this term. Quite what a successful campaign in those two competitions accounts to is not yet known, but Pardew will no doubt be desperate to secure a top-eight finish as well as reaching the latter stages of the cup.

Just four points stands between Palace and the top five, while it is now eight points to fourth place following Tottenham's 4-1 win over Sunderland in the day's early kickoff. The former Newcastle boss has produced a stellar job since taking on the Selhurst Park role a little over 12 months ago, and the platform is now there to cement Palace's place in the higher reaches of the division heading into this exciting period in the club's history.

Pardew has also pinpointed where improvements are needed during the January transfer window, admitting that his side require further strength up top. Four games without a goal is certainly proof of that, so it is no surprise to see a potential move for proven goalscorer Emmanuel Adebayor on the cards. The absence of Bolasie is certainly a large factor in this recent bland scoring run, but Palace can at least field a striker up top in the shape of the returning Wickham this afternoon.

Not since February 1998 have Palace failed to score in four-successive top-flight fixtures while, up the other end of the field, two clean sheets in 16 away outings is hardly a record to boast about. It is worth mentioning that the Eagles still have one of the best away records in the land since Pardew took over, but disappointing results against Bournemouth and Villa of late leaves them needing a big result here to get their campaign firmly back on track.

DID YOU KNOW? On the subject of Palace's away record, the South London outfit have won 14 of their 22 away games since Alan Pardew took charge last January. One point from a possible six on offer against Bournemouth and Villa will be seen as a huge disappointment, then, but this match may just have come at a good time for the visitors to put things right.

After today's contest, Palace face Spurs in the league before taking on Stoke City in a big FA Cup tie. City, meanwhile, have games against West Ham United, Wycombe Wanderers and Everton in three different competitions. That is not even taking into consideration their European exploits, which take a back seat until this time next month. It really is all systems go at the Etihad in what could very well be Pellegrini's final few months at the helm.

As already touched upon a little earlier, City have a chance to climb to the summit if they were to pick up maximum points today. Spurs have already brushed aside Sunderland in the day's early fixture, while surprise package Leicester take on bottom-of-the-table Villa after the conclusion of this contest at the Etihad. Arsenal are not in action until tomorrow, so Gunners supporters will be watching on keenly here.

With kickoff now less than 10 minutes away, let's check out what both managers have had to say heading into today's big Premier League showdown.

Manuel Pellegrini: "We must continue to play in the same way and trust we will score goals. If we don't score once [against Everton] after having 17 shots, it's just an accident. Teams are always waiting with eight or nine players behind the ball, waiting for us to play. We always try to play with a high tempo - it's not always easy against eight or nine players near their box. It's not tempo you need, you need accurate passes in the final third."

Alan Pardew: "We are trying to bring a striker in, whether it's permanent or on loan. [Emmanuel] Adebayor is a player that's there for somebody. It's a question of teams like ourselves asking whether we're the right fit. You have to think of all the strikers who are available. There's a very small market for us. [Adebayor] is in that group. Not just for us, but for plenty of clubs."

So Pellegrini largely unconcerned about the dropped points last time out, then, while for the visitors much of the pre-match talk has concerned any potential transfer activity. The Chilean believes that a failure to score was "just an accident", as Tim Howard had one of his finest games of the campaign in that Etihad stalemate.

PREDICTION! I completely agree with those pre-match comments from Pellegrini, who refused to put any blame on his players. That has not stopped the experienced manager making wholesale changes for this game, though, and with that can often come a disjointed performance. Palace have been superb on the road on the whole over the past 12 months, yet after dropping points against Bournemouth and Villa recently, I believe this one will end with a two-goal City win.

0 - Arsenal and Manchester City are the only two teams in the top flight not to concede a penalty this season. Aware. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 16, 2016

KICKOFF! We are underway at the Etihad Stadium. De Bruyne appears to be on the right and Silva shifted to the left, with two men up top for the home side.

SAVE! Palace have made a superb start to this contest - and they really should be ahead! After winning a corner 90 seconds in, City struggled to clear their lines and the ball came back in to Delaney. The defender could only head down the middle, though, with Hart pushing the ball aside. Glorious chance!

After a prolonged period of dominant Palace play, City have found their composure and are now looking to knock the ball around. It was a fine cross from Wickham to create that early opening for Delaney, which the centre-back perhaps should have done better with all things considered.

Wickham is proving to be a threat already in this game, working his way across the frontline and drawing a few fouls from opposition players. Otamendi is the latest to dive in, gifting Palace the chance to get another cross into the box which City again struggle to deal with.

Silva looks for a probing ball through to Zabaleta down the right, but the pass has far too much on it for the full-back. The Citizens yet to find their stride in this one, with Palace still looking the better side early on at the Etihad.

De Bruyne crosses into the back-post area for Ward to head behind. City, who have scored the most goals from corners in the division this season, struggle to make the most of their best attacking opening of the match so far when the ball is easily cleared away.

Man City lack composure on the edge of the box, with Aguero desperate for a teammate to make a run through. In the end Silva takes on a shot-to-nothing, which is cleared away be a sea of bodies. Still, this is a much brighter showing from the hosts compared to the opening 10 minutes.

Terrible defending yet again from City at a Palace corner. Dann gets the better of Kolarov but is unable to keep his attempt down, as the home side ride their luck from a set-piece once more. The Eagles looking the more likely to break the deadlock here.

A really strange feel to this game at the moment; Palace continuing to knock the ball around as though they are the home side. A very subdued atmosphere among home supporters, who are just waiting for their side to spark into life.

Another overhit Silva pass goes straight out of play. Still just the one opening of note in this flat contest, which fell Palace's way just a couple of minutes in. The onus is on Man City to find their groove.

Palace allow City to knock the ball around in midfield, with Silva coming deep to pick up possession. Probably the Citizens' best spell of the contest, but can they make it tell?

It has been a hugely underwhelming showing from the Citizens so far, but with a quarter of this game now played they have made the breakthrough. It was another Hennessey error, I'm afraid, as he allowed Fabian Delph's shot from more than 25 yards out to squirm right through. Will that goal now help City spark into life?

SHOT! Delph, full of confidence after that goal a couple of minutes ago, takes on a shot from range once again. This time he was unable to trouble Hennessey, however, as the effort flashed wide of the target.

Fernando and Connor Wickham challenge for the ball during the early stages of this clash at the Etihad Stadium. It has been a fairly bland game, in truth, but one that Manchester City lead thanks to that Fabian Delph strike a short while ago.

© Getty Images

Just watching that Delph strike back, the midfielder does deserve credit for getting such a clean strike on the ball. Wales international Hennessey really should have been better, though, just a few days on from another howler that cost his side a share of the points at Villa Park.

Not a great deal has chanced since that Delph opener - Palace continuing to probe away on the break while City look a little laboured in their play. The difference now is that the Citizens are under far less pressure to get bodies forward, but Pellegrini will not sit comfortably until a second is scored.

SAVE! Palace win a free kick around 25 yards from goal, which Cabaye does well to bend towards the bottom corner. Hart was down well to push the ball aside for a corner, though, and the resulting set-piece was cleared away by the Citizens.

It's roles reversed all of a sudden as City hit their opponents on the counter, in a move which ends with Iheanacho taking down a cross into the box but failing to connect with what would have been an acrobatic strike. Some good build-up play from the visitors, yet they were very nearly two behind there.

A Palace attack breaks down on the left to the disappointment of those inside the area. The Eagles' goalless run, now stretching at four-and-a-half Premier League games, continues for a little while longer.

PENALTY SHOUT! Aguero goes down inside the area under the slightest of contact from Ledley, but referee Jonathan Moss waves play on. It was one of those where had it been outside the box it would have been given, yet they are very rarely given when inside the area. The Argentina international still got a shot away, which was dragged wide of the target.

Two attempts on target for City and now two goals to show for it. It initially looked to be another Hennessey howler from Aguero's long shot, but replays show that it took a big deflection off Dann on its way through. Iheanacho held the ball up well on the left, before picking out his attacking teammate to wrong-foot the Wales international.

So Man City yet to get out of first gear, but in a convincing two-goal lead. Football is a strange game, though, and you just know that one Palace goal - if they do ever end this barren scoring run - will change everything in the second half.

SHOT! City's best move of the match, as Silva and Aguero link-up well in the Palace box. The latter gets a shot away from close range, which is superbly blocked away by Delaney just a couple of yards from goal.

It has hardly been vintage football from Manchester City, but Manuel Pellegrini will not care one little bit as his side lead Crystal Palace 2-0 at the break. Fabian Delph opened the scoring 22 minutes in, before Sergio Aguero doubled the Citizens' tally four minutes before half time.

Up until that second City goal, it could well be argued that Palace had just about been the better team. The best chance of the contest certainly fell their way, as Delaney headed straight at Hart with just a couple of minutes on the clock. Cabaye also tested the England stopper with a decent attempt from a free kick, yet the visitors have now failed to score in four-and-a-half league games.

Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey really should have done better to keep out Delph's strike, which just seemed to squirm under his body and into the back of the net. There was to be no stopping Aguero's shot, though, which took a big deflection off Dann on its way through and may even go down as an own goal.

Aguero had the slimmest of penalty shouts turned down prior to bagging his first ever league goal against Palace, while he also saw an attempt well blocked shortly before the interval. That aside, we have yet to see the best from either team - something which will not concern City all that much as they are in a dominant position at this midway stage.

Could Alan Pardew be tempted into making a half-time change, much like he did at Villa Park in midweek? Let's remind ourselves of the two benches.

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Caballero, Sagna, Clichy, Navas, Sterling, Toure, Humphreys

CRYSTAL PALACE SUBS: Speroni, Kelly, Jedinak, Mutch, Lee, Chamakh, Campbell

Fabian Delph's goal opened the scoring at the Etihad Stadium 22 minutes in, before Sergio Aguero doubled his side's advantage prior to the break

© Getty Images

RESTART! Man City get us back underway at a snowy Etihad Stadium. No changes made by either manager at the break, but McArthur is seemingly limping around early on in this second half.

Cliché alert: The next goal in this game really is going to be vital. This contest is heading in the same direction as the first half, with both teams just struggling to find any real momentum at the moment.

Kolarov has picked up an injury to his ankle as the snow continues to fall heavily in Manchester. The full-back is likely to come off, but only after defending a fine cross into the box from Zaha down the Palace right.

Kolarov is still struggling here and is currently on the ground. Clichy still not ready on the sidelines, though, so City may have to continue with 10 men for the next minute or so.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! First alteration of the afternoon, and it is an enforced once as Clichy comes on for Kolarov. Just a third Premier League appearance of the season for the Frenchman.

Looks to be a fairly serious injury for Kolarov, in fact, as a stretcher was required to take him off the field. Looked initially to be an ankle injury, but he was also holding his calf.

Palace still away, but any hope they have of getting a goal will almost certainly come from a set-piece. The latest drilled corner into the box is cleared away well. Yaya Toure now being readied to come on for the hosts.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Yaya Toure does indeed come on for the final 30 minutes or so, replacing Iheanacho in what is now likely to be a 4-5-1 formation. Good game management from City to see this one out with ease.

A decent cross into the box is headed clear before Wickham can get his leg to the ball. Pardew must surely be thinking about making a change or two, with this game still far from over at 2-0.

Manchester City lead 2-0 thanks to first-half goals from Fabian Delph and Sergio Aguero at the Etihad Stadium.

MATCH SHOT: Kun and Kelechi celebrate the second goal. #cityvpalace #mcfc pic.twitter.com/MszHv56puE — Manchester City FC (@MCFC) January 16, 2016

SHOT! A rare piece of action in the attacking third, as Joel Ward drags a shot well wide of goal. Zaha wanted the return pass, but the Palace defender had ideas of his own when taking the effort on from more than 25 yards out.

CRYSTAL PALACE SUB! Connor Wickham's afternoon is over as he is eased back into action. Marouane Chamakh comes on in his place for the remainder of this contest.

Game. Set. Match. As comfortable as you like for City, who make sure of the points thanks to Aguero's second of the afternoon. It was a fine team move, too, as Toure, De Bruyne and Aguero all exchanged passes before the Argentina international tapped home at the back post.

Man City with all the momentum in these final 20 minutes now, looking to improve their goal difference which could very well have a big say come next May. Palace just have not turned up today - again!

For the first time today, Man City now appear to be enjoying themselves a little. No pressure whatsoever for the remainder of this one, which may lead to some fluid attacking play.

CLOSE! Cabaye close to one of the goals of the season, as his shot from 35 yards out swerved widely towards Hart. It had just a little too much on it in the end, however, and Hart could watch if fly past his goal. Unlucky!

So it is looking like four league outings without a goal for Palace, which will surely force Pardew into transfer action. Marouane Chamakh picked up a yellow card a few minutes ago for his lunge.

CRYSTAL PALACE SUB! James McArthur has not had any sort of influence on this contest, and he has now been replaced by Jordon Mutch. Pardew has one more alteration available to him in these final 10 minutes.

Yaya Toure and David Silva stand over a City free kick, which the former wins the battle to take on. The Ivorian went for precision rather than power, curling his attempt into the Palace wall.

It is turning into a rout now at the Etihad, as Aguero leads a City counter and unselfishly lays the ball off for Silva to tap home his first league goal since the opening weekend of the season. Palace need full time.

SUBS! Aguero is not too happy to be taken off when on a hat-trick, with Navas on in his place. Lee Chung-Yong replaces Zaha for the visitors.

Just a case of seeing this one through for City now. Palace have been terrible in this second half, struggling to put together anything of not in attack and falling apart at the back.

Just two minutes of added time to be played. City just happy to play out the remaining seconds now, while Palace try their best to remain compact in what is now essentially damage limitation.

Referee Jonathan Moss blows his whistle to spark plenty of cheers around the Etihad Stadium. It could have been so different had Delaney found the net inside the opening couple of minutes with his header, but that proved to be as good as it got for the visitors.

Sergio Aguero was the hero of the hour, scoring two and setting up another to put City on their way to an impressive victory. In truth, the Citizens barely got out of first gear for large parts of the game, but they stormed to the summit and can now watch on as Leicester face Villa in 30 minutes' time.

That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at the Etihad Stadium, but be sure to join us for coverage of Leicester City's away trip to Aston Villa, as two sides who have faced differing fortunes this campaign face off in the Midlands. That one can be found by clicking here.