Crystal Palace 0-3 Manchester City: Erling Haaland scores his 16th and 17th goals of the Premier League season as Manchester City close the gap on leaders Arsenal to two points.
Manchester City’s title challenge has a very familiar theme. Except this time, City have thrown some fearsome players into Arsenal before Christmas, rather than leaving them alone until the run-in.
Josep Guardiola’s side look formidable, with Erling Haaland in sensational form, Phil Foden back to his best, and a new addition in Rayan Cherki.
City responded to Arsenal’s defeat of Wolves on Saturday night by winning a very difficult game at Selhurst Park, defeating Crystal Palace with a ruthless performance.
With this win, City returned to within two points of the lead with five consecutive wins in all competitions. On Wednesday night, you might have thought City’s win at Real Madrid would be taxing.
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But four days later, City produced again. Haaland’s sensational opener was the first shot on target and laid the foundation for the victory.
Haaland converted a penalty in the final minute, taking his tally of goals in the Premier League this season to 17. He scored 36 goals for club and country.
And he also got a little revenge on Palace keeper Dean Henderson after last May’s FA Cup final.
Henderson was lucky not to see the red at Wembley, where Palace beat City to win the FA Cup, but this time he at least stayed inside the penalty area, just enough to tip substitute Sabinho over.
It was a very impressive response from Guardiola’s men, and it is clear that Haaland is the most important player among the three title challengers – City, Arsenal and Aston Villa.
Even when City aren’t at their best and get off to a slow start, they know they can always rely on Haaland to get the team going and get results.
Haaland continues his lethal and unstoppable form, while Foden is back to the form that won him individual awards the season before last.
City had an off-season last season and, despite some weaknesses defensively, should be great going forward. Arsenal have finished second in each of the last three seasons, which is why they fear City again. They have a habit of steaming over the rails.
Palace started brightly, with Adam Wharton’s through ball releasing Elemy Pino, and while City complained of offside, the Palace forward fired a shot that hit the bar.
That was the story of the day at Palace. A missed opportunity, a wasted opening and a heavy finish. If you let City escape, you will be punished.
Sure enough, that’s what happened. City had a rare quality shot in the 41st minute, and typically it was Haaland’s first shot on target. And up until then he had barely touched the ball.
Matheus Nunez swung in a wonderful cross from the right and Haaland rose unmarked to fire a brilliant header into the top corner.
Palace continued to threaten. Wharton hit the post. But then Foden stepped up. Haaland took part in the build-up before Cherki set up Foden, and his low shot flew past Palace keeper Henderson’s desperate left hand and into the bottom corner.
This was Cherki’s sixth assist in 466 minutes. He’s a new threat. As Palace pushed forward, City hit back again.
City substitute Savinho darted out of his own half and Henderson stayed in the box, tripping the Brazilian. You may remember that Henderson was lucky not to see the red when he tipped Haaland over outside the penalty area in the cup final.
Revenge is best eaten cold, as Haaland thrilled Palace fans with his penalty in the FA Cup last May.
But that was no real consolation. City put in a great performance and took the three points.
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