Eight goals in their last two games, played while Real Madrid, their rival in the Champions League quarterfinals, was resting, fuel the offensive power of Manchester City, forced to make extra physical effort by having to come back at Crystal Palace’s home, under the leadership of a sublime Kevin De Bruyne and with Erling Haaland recovering his scoring nose.
City increased the pressure on Liverpool, which visits Old Trafford on Sunday, equaling the leader’s 70 points. Fulfilling the role of favorite at Selhurst Park after an initial scare. A recurring punishment for the poor withdrawal after loss as a weak point for Pep Guardiola’s dominating team that gave rest to Bernardo Silva and Foden with their minds on the Bernabéu.
Carlo Ancelotti surely has it written down in red in his notebook. The option to quickly damage a Manchester City that finds weakness in its defense of three, unguarded in the loss of the ball. Even more so if one of the defenders commits it, like Stones on the day of his return. Inaccurate in the pass, slow to reach Mateta who he defined with an unappealable right hand that kissed the wood before putting Crystal Palace ahead when the fourth minute of the game was approaching.
The goal did not change the script of the duel but it required City to wear out more than desired. Always from possession, at times with problems finding space in the central lane, missing the overflow of Doku, also reserved by Pep. It was De Bruyne who started the harassment of the rival. Inventing from set pieces, finding the pass where others missed and leaving one of those goals to frame that restored equality.
Grealish had an impact in the game on the left wing, without offering himself into space, asking for it on the foot but always leaving high-quality gestures in actions that ended in a goal. The first with less merit because De Bruyne deserved it all, receiving the slanted pass at the edge of the area, launching a cut to go out to the right and hooking a perfect shot into the top corner, to the long post.
By then, City already deserved to win, as they initially ran into Henderson, a savior with his foot against Julián Álvarez and with a hand down against the post after a left-footed shot from Rodri. In front of De Bruyne’s work of art he could do nothing.
Feeling that the problem was resolved and that they could regulate their efforts, City allowed City to feed false hopes to Crystal Palace. Aware of his role, with lines together on his field, direct football without complications. Thus he found in Grealish’s defensive laziness a moment to warn again. Ayew forgave with his shot above.
The rest came in two strange actions in Rodri, perhaps due to fatigue, the only pillar of the team who has not rested in the three games in a week prior to the Bernabéu. He made a dangerous loss at the beginning of the play that only Ayew’s selfishness, in a three-on-one that was played only to crash into the crossbar, prevented him from scoring. Later with a dangerous transfer of the Spanish midfielder that Ortega resolved with cold blood. Dribble without space to Mateta with a heel.
Aside from those scares, the game was always in full control of City. The goals were a matter of time and wear and tear on a rival who ran after the ball. He took more minutes because Haaland seemed determined to increase his poor scoring streak. He was left alone by De Bruyne, punishing the only moment that Crystal Palace advanced meters, but the Norwegian giant did not overcome the one-on-one with Henderson with his left foot.
He retaliated in the second half, in which Guardiola’s men did not want to extend the life of the match. As soon as Rico Lewis’ opportunism resumed, in the goal zone after Grealish’s chipped pass, he turned the score around. Thinking about the reaction of the ‘little one’, without possession and with many meters to go when he had it, was an unattainable illusion.
Thus, first Julián Álvarez, then Grealish, forgave the sentence, until Haaland’s revenge came in a gift from De Bruyne, serving the goal on a plate with a pass from the outside. The nineteenth goal for the Premier’s top scorer that he was in need of before one of the events that mark the season.
De Bruyne had time before resting to leave another example of quality in his team’s fourth goal, with a sharp left foot after Grealish’s connection with Rodri, who was becoming more dangerous every day in the rival area. And Edouard took advantage of the rival’s relaxation to close the match by overtaking Rúben Dias at the near post, signing the final 2-4.
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