What happened: Longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein published an essay marking 30 years since his first Manchester City match in person, an away trip to Selhurst Park on Sept. 14, 1996. City return to the same ground under the lights Friday night. Stein credited the club for letting him mark the anniversary with the piece.

Why it matters: The original 1996 visit came just after City had been relegated to English football's second tier, a low point Stein's essay frames against three decades of following the club. Friday's fixture at the same venue gives the anniversary a concrete match to attach to rather than just a calendar date.

What to watch: Stein is back at Selhurst Park for Friday night's match, completing the 30-year loop from his first City game there.