Crystal Palace 2-4 Manchester City - Kevin De Bruyne scores two stunners, Erling Haaland breaks duck as City win big
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Updated 06/04/2024 at 14:56 GMT+1
Two stunners from Kevin De Bruyne, a goal from Rico Lewis and Erling Haaland breaking his duck saw Premier League champions Manchester City thrash Crystal Palace 4-2 at Selhurst Park on Saturday lunchtime live on TNT Sports and discovery+. The result moves City joint-top and put pressure on title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of their games on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
'An electrifying finish!' - De Bruyne rocket brings Man City level at Selhurst Park
Manchester City moved up to second place in the Premier League table, and level on points with leaders Liverpool, after a 4-2 lunchtime victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
A flurry of second half goals from Rico Lewis, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne ended a match that had been closely contested in the first half. A consolation goal from Odsonne Edouard arrived to late to give any hope of a Palace comeback.
Jean-Phillipe Mateta had given Palace the lead after just three minutes, with a smart finish from a defence-splitting pass by Adam Wharton. Their lead was cancelled out by a stunning goal from De Bruyne ten minutes later.
Later in the half Jordan Ayew hit the crossbar before City gradually took control and dominated possession throughout.
City will now face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League on Tuesday, as their bid for back-to-back Trebles gathers pace.
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'He scores yet again' - Haaland's 30th goal of the season extends City lead
TALKING POINT
Can anyone stop Manchester City? Guardiola’s history-makers have got it all in front of them. A fourth league title in a row would be a record in England, and back-to-back Trebles would be simply astonishing.
As things stand, they are level on points with Liverpool and two ahead of Arsenal, both of which have still to play this weekend. The pressure on Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta’s teams to be note perfect until the end of the season is suffocating.
Jude Bellingham and Real Madrid are up next, as the European leg of City’s adventures kicks in again. There are potentially another 14 games left in this season for City; after swatting aside fourth-placed Aston Villa and having made light work of a tricky-looking trip to Palace in the last four days, there are signs that they are on a roll that might take them all the way in all competitions.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
It was another performance oozing with class from City’s captain. He scored two superb goals, one of either foot, and laid on yet another goal for Haaland. De Bruyne’s return to the team and to his scintillating best in the second half of the season has transformed Manchester City.
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'A shot that went like an arrow' - De Bruyne's stunning second puts City 4-1 up at Palace
PLAYER RATINGS
Crystal Palace: Henderson 7; Ward 5, Andersen 7, Lerma 6; Munoz 6, Wharton 7, Hughes 6, Mitchell 6; Eze 6, Mateta 7, Ayew 6
SUBS: Clyne 6, Schlupp 6, Ahamada 6 Olise 7, Edouard 7
Manchester City: Ortega 7; Lewis 7, Stones 6, Dias 6, Gvardiol 5; Rodri 7, De Bruyne 9, Alvarez 6; Bobb 6, Haaland 7, Grealish 8
SUBS: Kovacic 6, Bernardo Silva 6, Akanji 6, Nunes 6
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS
3' GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1 (MATETA 3) MANCHESTER CITY 0 My word! City lose the ball in the Palace half, with their back line up high. Palace shift it quickly to Wharton, who plays a glorious first time ball in behind and Mateta is haring through on goal. Mateta composes himself and shoots across Ortega, and his shot hits the far post and bounces in. Palace lead!
13' GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1 MANCHESTER CITY 1 (DE BRUYNE 13) There's no saving this. Grealish cuts a ball back to De Bruyne, who is just inside the area on the left. De Bruyne cuts across Wharton and onloads with his right foot; the ball whistles into the top corner at ferocious speed. Stunning.
47' GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1 MANCHESTER CITY 2 (LEWIS 47) City lead! Grealish jinks his way to the byline in the area, and stands up a cross. Andersen can only get a glancing head on it and it falls to Lewis ten yards out. Lewis takes a touch and shoots into the bottom corner via a slight deflection from Lerma.
66' GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1 MANCHESTER CITY 3 (HAALAND 66) That is probably that. Grealish jinks his way into the area on the left again, and slips a delicious pass through to the onrushing De Bruyne near the six yard box. De Bruyne spins and flicks the ball across goal first time, and Haaland is waiting to slide the ball in and make it three.
70' GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 1 MANCHESTER CITY 4 (DE BRUYNE 70) Oh they're having fun now. Again Grealish taunts Palace down the left. He cuts the ball back to Rodri, who touches it to De Bruyne 15 yards out. De Bruyne launches his shot at goal and it flies in at the near post.
86' GOAL! CRYSTAL PALACE 2 (EDOUARD 86) MANCHESTER CITY 4 Palace get one back, and it's a beauty. They work the ball wide to Schlupp on the left of the area. He crosses first time into the box, and Edouard meets it on the volley and turns it past Ortega.
KEY STAT
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