Crystal Palace vs Manchester City Report

Scorers: Munoz 4’, Lacroix 57’; Haaland 30’, Lewis 68’

Red Card: Lewis 84’

Manchester City twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, extending their winless away streak to six matches across all competitions.

Rico Lewis’ stunning equalizer and late red card were among the game’s key moments as City lost further ground in the Premier League (PL) title race.

Early Blow as Palace Strike First

Fresh from a confidence-boosting 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, City entered the game hoping to end their away struggles.

However, Crystal Palace stunned the visitors just four minutes in as Daniel Muñoz latched onto Will Hughes’ pinpoint through ball and calmly slotted past Stefan Ortega for his second goal in as many matches.

City responded immediately, with Dean Henderson making a crucial save to deny Erling Haaland from point-blank range.

The reigning champions continued to pile on the pressure, as İlkay Gündoğan rattled the woodwork and Savinho curled the rebound narrowly wide.

At the other end, Rúben Dias made a crucial block to deny Jefferson Lerma, ensuring City remained within touching distance of the hosts.

Haaland Restores Parity

City eventually found their equalizer before halftime. Matheus Nunes delivered a perfectly-weighted cross, and Haaland rose above the Palace defense to nod in his 13th league goal of the season.

The Norwegian’s clinical finish seemed to shift the momentum in City’s favour heading into the break.

Palace Regain the Lead, Lewis Responds

Despite City’s strong end to the first half, they were caught off guard shortly after the restart. Maxence Lacroix towered above Kyle Walker to head home from a Hughes corner, giving the Palace midfielder his second assist of the game.

City didn’t take long to respond, as Bernardo Silva teed up Rico Lewis for a stunning strike into the top corner, levelling the score at 2-2.

The goal capped an impressive display from Lewis, but the young defender’s evening ended on a sour note when he received a second yellow card for a late challenge on Trevoh Chalobah in the 84th minute.

City Hold On for a Point

Despite being down to 10 men, City managed to hold firm in the closing stages to secure a solitary point. The draw leaves Pep Guardiola’s side in fourth place, eight points adrift of the Premier League leaders, having played one game more.

For Crystal Palace, the result moves them four points clear of the relegation zone, providing a valuable cushion in their battle to avoid the drop.

Conclusion: City Lose Ground, Palace Take a Step Toward Safety

Manchester City’s inability to secure all three points adds to their growing away woes, leaving Guardiola’s side with a significant gap to bridge in the title race.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace’s hard-earned draw provides a crucial boost as they look to pull further clear of the relegation zone.

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Crystal Palace v Man City, 2024/25 | Premier League