Crystal Palace 0-3 Manchester City
at Selhurst Park
by Gene Sylvester

PEP GUARDIOLA’S boys travelled to South London for a game that pitted the Premier League’s most lethal attack this season in Manchester City against the second-meanest defence in Crystal Palace, but it was the Citzens’ firepower that proved decisive as they ran out relatively comfortable 3-0 winners.

While the scoreline suggested a straightforward afternoon for the men from Manchester, on the pitch it was nothing of the sort as the Eagles registered more attempts at goal than City, but lacked a clinical marksman in the shape of an Erling Haaland to finish off some of their good approach work.

Haaland himself showed how ruthless he can be as he buried the first opportunity that came his way in the 40th minute, where you would have been forgiven for forgetting that he was on the pitch.

Matheus Nunes delivered a back-post cross into the box from the right with the big Norwegian striker ghosting in behind Chris Richards to power a header back across Dean Henderson in the Palace goal and into the far corner of the net to put the away side 1-0 up.

Prior to the opener, the Eagles had carved out the better opportunities of the match with Yeremie Pino spurning the best chance of the game in the 16th minute, firing his shot too high with the ball clipping off the top of the bar with only Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat from 18 yards.

Further opportunities fell to Jean-Philippe Mateta whose shot from 15 yards out was blocked by a City boot in the penalty area and Wharton whose effort from the edge of the box, following a bout of head tennis, was smashed high over the bar prior to Haaland’s opener.

“We had 4 big chances in the first half” stated Oliver Glasner following the final whistle.

The Palace boss went on to say: “The result doesn’t reflect the performance, as they were just more efficient than we were. They took their chances and we missed ours.”

The second half began in a similar fashion with a 25 yard Wharton effort cannoning off the foot of the Donnarumma’s post and away to safety, and a Sarr opportunity was snuffed out by the City defence when the Senegalese chose to cut back into traffic onto his left boot instead of taking the early shot on with his right when put through on goal.

In the 68th minute, Gaurdiola’s boys again exhibited their ruthlessness in front of goal when Tyrick Mitchell lost the ball on the half-way line and a quick exchange between Nunes and Cherki allowed the Frenchman the space to find a pass to Phil Foden just outside of the Palace box.

The England man shaped to curl one to the left-hand side of the goal but instead fired low into the bottom right of the net in front of watching England manager Thomas Tuchel

“I didn’t think Phil played at his best. He lost a lot of balls, but he pressed well defensively and scored in the end,” said Gaurdiola when asked about the England man’s performance.

Haaland’s 87th minute penalty put the game to bed after substitute Savinho was brought down in the box by Henderson following a City breakaway that came in a moment where the home side had the visitors pinned back for a sustained period.

“It was tough. It’s so difficult to play against them (Palace), so we are very pleased with the result,” Gaurdiola said, relieved after the match.