MANCHESTER, England -- Pep Guardiola has omitted star forwards Erling Haaland, Jérémy Doku and Rayan Cherki from Manchester City's starting team against Crystal Palace -- a game the Blues must win to retain a realistic hope of winning the Premier League title.
City face Palace trailing league leaders Arsenal by five points going into the final week of the season. If City drop points against Oliver Glasner's side, Arsenal will be able to win the title on Monday by defeating relegated Burnley at the Emirates.
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With City due to face Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, Guardiola has chosen to rest Haaland, Doku and Cherki -- all three players have been named as substitutes - with Omar Marmoush, Phil Foden and Savinho drafted into the starting lineup in their place.
Erling Haaland and Jérémy Doku will begin Manchester City's crucial match with Crystal Palace on the substitutes' bench. Marc Atkins/Getty Images "When the schedule is so tight everybody is fit, everybody needs to help," Guardiola told Sky Sports ahead of kickoff.
"The manager is here to take a risk. We have to take the decisions before and after it depends on the result. We will be judged nicely or completely the opposite. You have to take it.
"I trust them otherwise we wouldn't be here. We have today and in three days travel to London. Our opponents are waiting just for that game and don't have to travel, then we have to travel to Bournemouth -- one of the top form teams. Everyone has to play these three games."
Haaland, Doku and Cherki have scored 35 league goals between them this season, with Belgium winger Doku hitting three goals in his last two games to help keep City's title challenge alive.
Palace, who beat City in last season's FA Cup final, are due to face Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig on May 27 and coach Glasner has said he will likely rest key players in the team's final game of the season -- at home to Arsenal -- three days before the Eagles' first-ever European final.