Crystal Palace v Man City LIVE: Premier League result and reaction as Kevin De Bruyne stars in win
Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City: De Bruyne scored twice as Rico Lewis and Erling Haaland also struck to swerve a banana skin in the title race
Manchester City struck first blood in the title race this weekend with a comprehensive 4-2 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Heading into the gameweek in third place, City could not afford to drop points and suffered a shock as Jean-Philippe Mateta slotted home a wonderful finish to send Palace ahead inside four minutes.
Kevin De Bruyne, restored to City’s starting XI, decided to lead the response. He nipped in from the left wing and rocketed an equaliser into the back of net before half-time.
After the break, Rico Lewis put City ahead for the first time before De Bruyne set up Erling Haaland and added a fourth – his second – to make the visitors comfortable.
Odsonne Edouard came off the bench for Crystal Palace to poke home a late volley but by then the damage was done. Oliver Glasner will be pleased with the fight his team showed but Man City were too good to be stopped on the day.
Relive all the updates from Selhurst Park below:
Kevin De Bruyne provides timely reminder of his quality as Man City win builds pressure on title rivals
Manchester City kept up the pressure on their title rivals and Kevin De Bruyne hit his 100th goal for the club in their 4-2 victory at Crystal Palace.
There had been doubts about whether or not the Belgian or Erling Haaland would be in the starting line-up for the lunchtime kick-off at Selhurst Park, where the in-form Jean-Philippe Mateta fired the hosts in front three minutes after kick-off.
De Bruyne drew the sides level moments later, and City took the lead for the first time less than two minutes after the restart via Rico Lewis’ second Premier League goal before De Bruyne set up Haaland for City’s third.
De Bruyne then added another with a solo effort to make it a century of goals for City in the 70th minute.
Kevin De Bruyne gives reminder of his quality in Man City win over Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 2-4 Manchester City: De Bruyne scored twice and set up a third as Pep Guardiola’s men drew level on points with Liverpool
FT Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City
Reaction from Kevin de Bruyne who told TNT Sports: “It was good. It has been a very untypical season with the injuries and coming back. Sometimes I feel good, sometimes I feel a little bit off with my body. I have tried to prepare myself as best as possible. I try to do the job as good as possible and today I did well.
“Yeah I do [feel pressure] because these guys keep me on my toes. I don’t expect to just be given my place. If I don’t perform well, I won’t play. Phil Foden has been amazing this season so deserves it but it keeps me on my toes.
“I think it’s possible [for both De Bruyne and Foden to play centrally]. When I started at 16 or 17 nobody thought it was possible with David Silva. It will be a little bit vice versa but I don’t see why not. We have not done it that much.
“I just try to be more of an example with the way I am on the pitch. I won’t be the person to tell others how to live their lives but I try to show on the pitch. I have played with Phil [Foden] for seven or eight years now so I don’t feel like he is a youngster anymore. He is an established superstar in our team. He is just amazing.
“Now that we won I like it but I don’t like early kick-offs to be honest. We can just try to play as good as possible. Now we can look at the games and see how they do. We have to go home, have a little rest and get ready for the game on Tuesday.”
FT Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City
Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta speaking to TNT Sports: “We watched City and how they pressed high and I scored early against one of the biggest teams in the world. In the second half they came back strongly. They are a good team.
“It was the plan. We tried it and we scored once. We had many chances after but we didn’t score and they did.
“It’s tough but we will keep working. We focus on the next game now.
On Oliver Glasner: “It’s good. He gives us some new details. He has new formations and a lot of things are not the same. We try to put those things in. We are in a good way. We focus each game and then we will see.”
FT Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City
Reaction from Manchester City goalscorer Rico Lewis who told TNT Sports: “It’s a very difficult place to come. The fans that travel every week, we thank them so much because it means so much. To get the win is amazing.
“The main message was to keep on going. The chances would come. We needed to get into the box and that’s what we did.
“As a kid you dream of scoring a goal and celebrating. I want to get more goals and assists. I don’t know but I enjoy playing midfield the most. I want to contribute but the manager decides where I’m most effective.
“It’s just like every other title race. We have to win every game. There’s three teams in it and we have to be the strongest team.”
FT Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City
Kevin De Bruyne has assisted 17 of Erling Haaland’s goals for Manchester City; the most from one Premier League player to another since the start of last season (all competitions)
FT Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City
Having also scored against Crystal Palace in the reverse fixture in December, Rico Lewis is just the second teenager to score home and away against a specific opponent in a Premier League season for Manchester City after Kelechi Iheanacho vs Swansea in 2015-16.
Full-time! Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City
90+7 mins: The whistle goes to end the match. Manchester Cirt are unbeaten in 25 matches now and join Liverpool at the top of the table on 70 points.
They’re second on goal difference but move ahead of Arsenal who play later. Job done.
Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City
90+2 mins: There are seven minutes of added time to play which means plenty of time for another goal or two. Bernardo Silva comes on for the final few minutes with Kevin De Bruyne replaced.
Crystal Palace 2-4 Man City
90 mins: There’s only a few minutes remaining in this match at Selhurst Park now. City are the first of the three title contenders to play this weekend and they’ll be adding pressure onto the other two.
Arsenal kick off against Brighton at 5.30pm tonight before Liverpool take on Man Utd tomorrow.
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