Manchester City 3 Crystal Palace 0: City’s quality in the final third sees off Palace | OneFootball

Manchester City 3 (Erling Haaland 41′, 89′ (P), Phil Foden 69′)

Crystal Palace 0

Manchester City have beaten Crystal Palace 3-nil today at Selhurst Park. Pep Guardiola’s side rode their luck but when it mattered their quality in the final third was the difference between the two teams.

When the starting lineups were announced, City had suffered a blow with Jeremy Doku ruled out of today’s match due to a leg injury. He was replaced in the City starting lineup by Tijjani Reijnders.

First half.

Manchester City began the game brightly and dominated possession in the game’s opening seven minutes. A head injury suffered by Josko Gvardiol who copped a stray arm from Ismaila Sarr took the momentum out of City’s early play. Nathaniel Clyne put a shot wide for Crystal Palace from a Jean-Philippe Mateta knockdown in the 10th minute which was the first shot on goal for the match.

Yéremy Pino would hit the bar in the 16th minute. A simple ball over the top of the Manchester City defence from Adam Wharton played in Pino. Pino beat Gianluigi Donnarumma with a curled finish which hit the crossbar. It was a simple opening created by Crystal Palace as they grew into the game after Manchester City’s impressive opening.

As the game approached the half-hour mark, Crystal Palace were definitely the most dangerous team going forward. Yéremy Pino hit an effort straight at Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 23rd minute, but the shot was rendered useless due to an offside call in the build-up. Palace were causing City issues when they won possession in midfield. Pep Guardiola’s side were having a mountain of possession but Palace were the most dangerous going forward.

Dean Henderson would make his first save of the afternoon in the 28th minute. Phil Foden struck a quality free kick on target from 30 yards out but the Palace goalkeeper got down well to his right to keep the ball out.

Erling Haaland heads Manchester City into the lead!!!!!!

Manchester City would take the lead in the 41st minute. A spell of City possession pinned Crystal Palace in their own penalty area. Bernardo Silva had drifted onto the right wing and he played a ball back to Matheus Nunes who played in a teasing cross to the backpost. Erling Haaland was left unmarked and he beat Dean Henderson to give City the lead. Tellingly, it was only Manchester City’s fourth touch in the opposition penalty area as compared to Crystal Palace’s thirteen. But Erling Haaland had the most decisive one of the match so far.

Gianluigi Donnarumma would deny Jean-Philippe Mateta with a good save in the 43rd minute. A simple ball over the top of the City defence played in Mateta. But his left-footed strike lacked power which saw Donnarumma make a good save low down to his right.

Jean-Philippe Mateta’s shot would be the final significant moment of the first half. Manchester City would take a lead into the interval but Palace had looked by far and away the most dangerous of the two teams going forward. Manchester City’s offside trap was on point in the first half and some wayward finishing from Oliver Glasner’s side contributed to City having a lead at halftime. Pep Guardiola’s side would have to improve their play to leave Selhurst Park with all three points based on how the first half unfolded. Of particular concern was how easily Palace were able to get in behind the City defence after winning back possession in midfield. That area of Manchester City’s play had to be tidied up at halftime.

Second half.

Adam Wharton would hit the post in the 48th minute as Crystal Palace began the second half looking for an equaliser. Wharton dispossessed Nico on the edge of the City area and his low drive from just outside the box hit the near post with Gianluigi Donnarumma scrambling to get down in time. Nico was caught dwelling on the ball as the pattern of the first half continued.

Two minutes later a crucial challenge from Nico O’Reilly denied Ismaila Sarr an opportunity to equalise. Sarr was played by a simple ball over the top of Manchester City’s high defensive line from Yéremy Pino. The Senegalese international was clean through but instead chose to try and cut back onto his left foot instead of shooting with his right. This decision allowed Nico O’Reilly to clear the ball away. But Palace were continuing to get in behind the City defence with ease. It did seem to be a matter of when Oliver Glasner’s side would equalise, not if they would at some point the second half.

Josko Gvardiol would head straight at Dean Henderson in the 56th minute. The Croatian international got on the end of a Rayan Cherki free kick but his header lacked the power to trouble the Crystal Palace keeper.

Tijjani Reijnders would see a shot saved by Dean Henderson a minute later. The Dutch international was played in by Rayan Cherki and he steamed into the Palace area. Reijnders’ shot from the right-hand side of the Palace area was saved well by Dean Henderson with his right foot. Erling Haaland was unmarked at the backpost so perhaps Reijnders should have squared the ball instead of going for goal himself.

Phil Foden doubles Manchester City’s lead after a sublime piece of play from Rayan Cherki.

Manchester City would take a 2-nil lead in the 69th minute. City won possession on the right wing and the ball was played to Rayan Cherki. Cherki drove at the Crystal Palace defence and rode a challenge from Adam Wharton. Cherki laid the ball off to Foden on the edge of the Palace area who beat Dean Henderson with a quality low finish from outside the box to double City’s lead.

As the game entered the final ten minutes it did appear that Phil Foden’s goal had taken the sting out of the game. The hosts and the home crowd did appear flat but that didn’t mean the game was over just yet.

Some desperate Manchester City defending prevented Crystal Palace from pulling a goal back. Nico O’Reilly blocked a shot from Ismaila Sarr from a dangerous position in the 80th minute. The rebound fell to Will Hughes who saw his shot blocked by the City defence. Pep Guardiola’s side was fighting to maintain their two goal lead.

Gianluigi Donnarumma would deny Eddie Nketiah in the 84th minute. The Crystal Palace striker drove in the City area and unleashed a powerful strike at goal. Donnarumma would save smartly at his near post to preserve his team’s 2 goal lead.

Manchester City would earn a penalty in the 87th minute. A spell of Crystal Palace was well contained by the City defence. Eventually a headed clearance from the City defence led to a driving run from Savinho. The Brazilian surged into the penalty area with a run that started deep in his own half and was brought down by Dean Henderson after he had rounded the Palace keeper. This time, unlike last year’s FA Cup final, Dean Henderson’s infringement was spotted. After a two minute delay Erling Haaland dispatched the penalty with ease to seal all three points for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Erling Haaland’s penalty would be the final significant moment of the match. Pep Guardiola’s side had gone to a tough venue and left with all three points. Today’s result could be crucial to Manchester City’s season.

First thoughts at the final whistle.

Manchester City had to ride their luck at times today to pick up all three points. Crystal Palace created a host of good chances but they didn’t take them. In the end the quality in this City side decided the game. In Erling Haaland, Manchester City have the world’s best striker at their disposal. His brace, alongside Phil Foden’s second half goal decided today’s match. Rayan Cherki, Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes all played well. City would make it five consecutive wins in all competitions with today’s win. They also keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal in a fantastic result for Pep Guardiola’s side.