LONDON - Rejuvenated Manchester City can pile the pressure on Premier League leaders Chelsea for the first time this season if they beat struggling visitors Crystal Palace tomorrow.

With Chelsea not playing at Stoke City until Monday, a City victory at the Etihad Stadium against a Palace side who have failed to win their last four Premier League matches would put the champions level on 39 points with Jose Mourinho's men.

Having trailed leaders Chelsea by eight points at one stage this season, City have won their last five league matches.

However, City will be without a recognised forward against 16th-placed Palace as Sergio Aguero, Stevan Jovetic and Edin Dzeko all have knocks, while captain and key central defender Vincent Kompany limped off at Leicester with a hamstring injury.

Despite a lack of attacking options, Pellegrini is confident his injury-hit squad can find the perfect striking remedy within their ranks against Neil Warnock's Palace.

"David Silva, Samir Nasri and the rest of the midfielders can all score so we must see during the week which is the best way to play in the future until we recover our strikers," Pellegrini told reporters

Chelsea, who beat visiting Hull City 2-0 last weekend, have no striking woes but, after allowing their healthy advantage over City to be cut, midfielder Cesc Fabregas has called on his teammates to keep improving in their quest for the title.

Fixtures

TOMORROW

Manchester City v Crystal Palace (2.45pm), Aston Villa v Manchester United (5pm), Hull City v Swansea (5pm), Queens Park Rangers v West Brom (5pm), Southampton v Everton (5pm), Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley (5pm), West Ham v Leicester (5pm)

SUNDAY

Newcastle v Sunderland (3.30pm), Liverpool v Arsenal (6pm)

MONDAY

Stoke City v Chelsea (10pm).