Is Erling Haaland the cheat code that will mean Manchester City win yet another Premier League title?
But for a fortuitous late own goal against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Pep Guardiola’s side would already now be top in a season in which there have been declarations that it is Arsenal’s to lose.
Instead, after this hard-fought victory, City again sit two points behind, and there is a growing sense of relentlessness about them. And about Haaland in particular.
It was his goal that held Crystal Palace at bay until Phil Foden scored a superb second to confirm the result. That double act is also back, with Foden now scoring 10 times already this campaign – already just two fewer than the whole of last season.
There was also a late penalty from Haaland, after goalkeeper Dean Henderson brought down substitute Savinho following a breakaway as Palace tried to get back into it. “Where were you at Wembley,” chanted the Palace fans as Haaland prepared to take it – a reminder of that famous FA Cup final win over City last May – but the centre-forward was not put off. He rolled the ball home for his 37th goal in 27 games for club and country this season and his 17th in 16 league games. Incredible.
Despite the ultimately convincing scoreline Palace will still wonder quite how they lost – even if the answer is obvious. They struck the crossbar, through Yeremy Pino, and Adam Wharton hit a post and they pushed City all the way.
But, then, they do not have Foden, who was being watched by England manager Thomas Tuchel, who must surely cosnider whether there is a role in his team for the 25-year-old beyond being a Harry Kane understudy. Foden’s low finish from 20 yards, after Haaland won the ball back and Rayan Cherki’s wonderfully quick feet provided the assist, was unerring.
And, above all, Palace do not have Haaland. He made his headed goal look so easy with the way he pulled away into space – how Chris Richards will be kicking himself – and then the prodigious leap to send the ball back across goal and into the net.
Against that Jean-Philippe Mateta had two chances to equalise soon after Haaland’s goal. But could not take either. Tellingly he was substituted after an hour after snatching at two more chances.
And that remains City’s Achilles’ heel. If they do not win the league it will be down to how good Arsenal – or Aston Villa – are and also their defensive vulnerability. They give up opportunities. But they also have Haaland and as Palace continued to push he even won a series of headers in his own penalty area. Then he scored the spot kick and was immediately substituted.
Full reaction to follow
FT: Palace 0 City 3
An excellent win for City away at one of the best collectives in the Premier League, and a result that suggests they are ready to push Arsenal all the way in pursuit of the title. The scoreline does not really do Palace justice, as I’m sure Guardiola will concede post-match, but City managed the game well and Palace failed to capitalise on their chances. It is now six wins in seven for City in the league.
90 minutes: Palace 0 City 3
Guardiola running down the clock with some changes now: Ait-Nouri, Rico Lewis and Marmoush on. Haaland, Bernardo and O’Reilly the players coming off.
Five minutes of added time to play.
GOOOALLL! Haaland scores
He sends Henderson the wrong way from the penalty spot, and the seals a very satsifying result for City.
PENALTY CITY!
As Palace pushed bodies forward, Mitchell slipped and Savinho found himself clean through from the halfway line. He dribbled with the ball up to the edge of the box, and tried to go around Henderson, who brought him down. Haaland to take the penalty. Marmoush missed one in the FA Cup final.
“Where were you at Wembley?” sing the Palace fans.
86 minutes: Palace 0 City 2
It has not been for the want of trying, but the ball just has not dropped for Palace in the City box today. Guehi with a poked attempt that could have gone anywhere, but City clear. Dias does well to come and meet a long throw, and then Donnarumma palms clear under pressure.
84 minutes: Palace 0 City 2
Palace are finishing strong, but they need to score imminently. Nketiah with a rasping shot from a tight angle that Donnarumma beats behind, and then City’s goalkeeper palms clear from the corner.
City change: Reijnders off, Savinho on.
81 minutes: Palace 0 City 2
Sarr collects a loose ball at the back post, but his shot is blocked, and then Hughes’ attempt hits his own man. Palace with a corner which City defend, but then Haaland slices the ball out for a throw.
79 minutes: Palace 0 City 2
Uche has replaced Clyne, so Sarr is going to finish the game at wing-back. Strong defender from Gvardiol to stop Nketiah in his tracks. Since Wharton hit the post early in the half, City have been solid at the back.
76 minutes: Palace 0 City 2
Palace have missed the threat of Munoz on their right flank today. Clyne has done a solid job but is not as dynamic. With Mateta off, the home team look short of punch.
Cherki has been City’s best outlet today, some great carries forward to relieve pressure.
73 minutes: Palace 0 City 2
Lacroix and Haaland in an absorbing tussle in the left channel, and the Palace defender did enough to win the race at the expense of a throw in. City just trying to manage the game now.
71 minutes: Palace 0 City 2
City are closing in on what would be an impressive result, especially following a Champions League game at Real Madrid. It has been a struggle at times, but they have produced two telling moments of quality.
GOOOALLL! Foden may have made the points safe
Trademark strike from distance from Foden. It may not have been his post powerful hit, but the shot from around 22 yards was well-placed. Reversed back across Henderson, through a forest of legs and into the bottom corner. His sixth goal in four Premier League appearances.
65 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
Now Palace have an injury concern: it looks like Kamada will have to come off, Will Hughes is getting ready to replace him. Guardiola uses the stoppage to get his players around for a tactical chat.
Pep Guardiola has called his whole team, including goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, over for a team talk during a break in play as Daichi Kamada receives treatment before being substituted. Guardiola and his assistant Pep Lijnders are making some forceful points to their players. City have so far been far from their best today.
62 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
This does not feel like a game that will finish 0-1 but it is hard to predict which team will score the next goal.
City have just started to find ways to play through or over the Palace press, and Kamada is shown a yellow card for a cynical foul on Cherki to stop a promising break.
Glasner is making a change: Nketiah on for Mateta. Like for like, a very different threat for City’s centre-backs.
60 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
Wharton has had a great game in midfield, but he has just slashed a shot over the bar after good work from Pino to stretch City and then find his team-mate. Mateta with space to turn and shoot at the edge of the box, but his shot is blocked.
Palace feel they should have had a free-kick for Cherki catching Kamada but the referee decided to play on instead.
57 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
Good save from Henderson to keep Palace in touch. Cherki the orchestrator, picking out the run of Reijnders in the right channel who shot across goal but Henderson saved with an outstretched leg. I think Reijnders could have squared across goal for Haaland at the back post.
55 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
Haaland backs in well against Lacroix to win a free-kick, but the home crowd do not like the decision. Glasner and Guardiola are having an animated discussion about it too, neither of them look willing to have the last word. The ball drops harmlessly into the hands of Henderson from the set-piece.
Pep Guardiola and Oliver Glasner were all hugs and smiles before kick-off with each other. But it is a lot more animated now on the touchline with Guardiola forcefully making his point to Glasner who clearly does not agree. The discussion has been going on for some time before the fourth official Anthony Backhouse steps in
53 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
That’s a reminder of the threat City pose: Cherki with a threaded pass into Reijnders at the edge of the box, and he controlled and turned in one movement. Risk of a penalty, but Richards time the challenge perfectly to poke the ball away.
51 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
City undone with a simple ball over the top for the run of Sarr, but rather than shoot or look for the cross to Mateta he tried to chop back inside and the chance was gone. City still not out of the woods, Foden and Bernardo rushed into an error, but Pino’s flicked header lacks the power to trouble Donnarumma.
Oliver Glasner has just crouched down in his technical area with his head in his hands and his back turned to the action, reminiscent of Basil Fawlty, after Crystal Palace spurn yet another chance. First Adam Wharton strikes a post and then Ismaili Sarr cuts back inside when clean through and with the chance to shoot.
49 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
Wharton hits the post! Great pressing from Palace, ensaring Nico Gonzalez who took far long to decide what he wanted to do with the ball. From just outside the box, Wharton drilled a left-footed shot that struck the base of the near post. Another warning for City.
47 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
Wharton with a loose pass which gifts City a cheap corner right at the start of the half. Richards does well to head away not once but twice.
Palace then enjoy some possession in the City half, moving the ball smoothly, but Bernardo Silva was switched on to cut out a reverse Wharton pass at the edge of the box.
We are back under way!
No changes from Glasner and Guardiola at half-time.
Jason’s half-time verdict
In terms of performance Oliver Glasner will be the happier manager at half-time. But City have Erling Haaland and City have the lead. Crystal Palace have provided a greater threat and their game-plan has been working but it only took a moment and Haaland has scored. Palace defender Chris Richards will be kicking himself having glanced at Haaland as they waited for Matheus Nunes to cross only to lose the striker who headed home.
HT: Palace 0 City 1
Erling Haaland’s goal the difference but there is plenty for Palace to feel encouraged by. They have shown they can create openings against this City team, who looked short of ideas before Haaland’s header. With the attacking talent City possess though, there will be chances as Palace start to gamble.
45 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
There will be three minutes of added time to play. Another promising moment for Palace, but not for the first time Pino lacked decisiveness in the penalty area and turned down a couple of opportunities to shoot.
43 minutes: Palace 0 City 1
Palace go in search of an immediate response, and there are vociferous appeals for a penalty against Donnarumma. He rushed off his line to deal with a ball clipped towards Mateta’s path, but the City goalkeeper always looked favourite. And replays show his left hand made clean contact with the ball. Good goalkeeping.
GOOOOAALL! Haaland opens the scoring
His 101st Premier League goal, just when it looked like City were toiling. Haaland peeled away to the back post, and Nunes picked him out with an outswinging cross from the right. Clyne was occupied by O’Reilly, and Haaland found the space between the wing-back and Richards. Textbook header into the corner, back across Henderson.
How he makes it look so easy... Palace have been the more dangerous side. But then Erling Haaland scores. It was an inviting cross from Matheus Nunes but Palace manager Oliver Glasner will be annoyed at how Haaland was able to pull away into space – Chris Richards lost him – and meet it with his header back across goal. And so he is now on 101 Premier League goals.
38 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Great positioning from Guehi to clear Cherki’s cross, before the Frenchman wins City a free-kick near the touchline. Pino barged him over, but Palace fans feel Cherki had lost control of the ball.
36 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Guardiola will be frustrated with Cherki there, a loose touch in his own half is pounced up by Wharton who is tripped by Nico Gonzalez. Palace with a chance to put the ball in the mixer from about 40 or 45 yards out.
Palace look for Richards at the back post, and eventually Wharton shoots over from distance with his right foot. May have been better off controlling the bouncing ball.
34 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Another dangerous moment for Palace with Wharton threading a pass into the path of Sarr, who dinked over Donnarumma and wide, but the flag went up for offside anyway. It would not have counted, but Palace have been the more threatening team.
32 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Now Cherki is the pantomime villain for the Palace fans; no foul given after he goes down too easily.
Both sets of centre-halves have their work cut out here. Erling Haaland and Jean-Philippe Mateta are two of the most powerful strikers in the Premier League and are proving to be a handful. So far Mateta, in particular, is causing a lot of problems for Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol and, on the touchline, Pep Guardiola is looking increasingly frustrated with his team.
31 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Kamada wanted a foul in midfield, but he recovered to make a clean sliding challenge of his own. That brings cheers from the Palace crowd. City know they are in a game here, it is an arm wrestle at the moment.
29 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
City have mustered their first shot on goal: Foden with a free-kick around the wall to the near-side, but Henderson moved his feet well to make the save. Then the flag goes up for offside against Reijnders.
Another solid piece of defending from Guehi in an aerial duel with Haaland. Palace’s captain has the upper hand in that contest (for now).
26 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Pino with another strike at goal, but the flag is belatedly raised for offside.
Cherki shows his quick feet on the right flank for City after a drop of the shoulder, but Palace defend their box well from the cross. Haaland had run underneath it to the near post.
23 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Mateta rather lax in possession in midfield, and from the turnover Cherki dinks a lovely pass over the Palace defence which Reijnders was close to meeting on the stretch.
Then Kamada drives Palace forward through midfield, and a slips a pass through to Sarr in the right channel, but his ball across was too far in front of Mateta.
There is a Palace fan sat near a microphone shouting “KEEP GOING!” after every attack.
22 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
It should be 1-0 to Crystal Palace. Yeremy Pino is sent clear on goal – with another wonderful through ball from Adam Wharton – only to shoot early, with the ball clipping the top of the crossbar. It looked like he thought he was offside but the play re-started with a goal-kick. What a chance for Palace.
20 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Palace trying to play forward early whenever they regain possession, but that is leading to some inaccuracy. After a couple of bright moments from Haaland, City’s attacking play has stalled. Guehi shows his composure to head back to Henderson.
Then Pino robs Nico Gonzalez of possession in a dangerous area, but he is crowded out by City defenders in the box.
17 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
What a chance for Pino and Crystal Palace! He was clean through with only Donnarumma to beat, but he scooped his right-footed shot a touch too high and it clipped the bar. The goalkeeper had gone down early. It was a delightful chip from Wharton with his weaker right foot to play Pino in.
14 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
City fans now signing Yaya Toure’s chant, the player who scored one goal and made another in a win at Selhurst Park in the 2014 title run-in. City have been the better of the teams, but no clear-cut chance as yet. Kamada tries to sweep a pass to Mitchell on the volley, but the wing-back did not read it and it drifts out for a throw.
13 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Excellent defending from Guehi just when it looked like he was at risk of being rolled by Haaland. It was a great left-footed pass forward to send the City striker away, but the Palace man stuck to his task and won the ball cleanly.
It is certainly a blow for Manchester City to be missing Jeremy Doku, who is out injured. The winger has been in outstanding form and Crystal Palace have already made it clear they intend to sit in and make it difficult for City to break them down. In Doku’s absence it also means that Phil Foden has had to move into a wide left position, a role he has made plain that he does not prefer. Unsurprisingly he has, so far, moved inside at every opportunity. In the crowd, meanwhile, is Thomas Tuchel who will be taking a keen interest in Foden and Nico O’Reilly plus Palace’s England contingent of Dean Henderson, Marc Guehi and Adam Wharton.
9 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Wry chants of “is this the Etihad?” from the City away end, the atmosphere has fallen a little flat during the stoppage. Gvardiol is checked for concussion, but the defender looks like he is fit to continue.
Mateta causing problems in the City box! Nico Gonzalez, filling in next to Dias, struggling in the physical duel. Sarr won a header, before Clyne arrive at the edge of the area to poke an effort wide under pressure.
7 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
Haaland with another clever flick towards Reijnders but Mitchell covered well from left wing-back to intercept. Palace not quite making the ball stick in transition, struggling to keep hold of it. Gvardiol is down and receiving some treatment after being caught by a flailing arm from Sarr. England head coach Thomas Tuchel is in attendance (he watched Chelsea vs Everton yesterday).
4 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
City seeing plenty of the ball inside the Palace half, the home team are dropping off into a 5-4-1 shape. Bernardo is playing in a more central position, with Cherki operating from the right. The pattern of the contest feels set already.
2 minutes: Palace 0 City 0
A slightly anxious moment for City in the first 30 seconds, a bit of a scramble between Dias and Gvardiol to recover, but Mateta was coming back from an offside position.
Then City build a promising attack of their own after a good flick around the corner from Haaland, but Nunes’ strike from distance is blocked.
KICK OFF!
Palace get the game started.
The teams are out at Selhurst
Palace have named nine of the XI that started the FA Cup final against City in May. They are such a settled and well-drilled side. Eze and Munoz the only players not in today’s team.
A warm welcome...
Pep Guardiola has just been mobbed on the touchline by the two Crystal Palace mascots. The Manchester City manager took it all in good spirits with a handshake and even a hug. But he did initially look a little startled by the two men in giant eagle costumes.
What Glasner expects
Guardiola on Doku’s absence
Guardiola is with the team
After missing Friday’s press conference, Man City’s manager will be on the touchline as expected.
Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson speaking before the game
A look at the team news
Glasner is one of the league’s more predictable managers when it comes to system and selection (and that is not necessarily a pejorative). The usual shape, with Sarr in for Nketiah. A midfield pair of Wharton and Kamada looks a little lightweight, but City have also gone technical in that area of the pitch with Bernardo and Reijnders. Alternatively, Bernardo could play wide with Foden in the middle.
The absence of Doku is a worry for City, but Guardiola has liked his wide players coming inside this season with full-backs pushed on. That might be the order of the day if Cherki and Foden are the wingers. Advanced full-backs could leave the door open for Palace to spring forward on the break, though.
Man City team and subs
Palace team and subs
Selhurst Park a test of City’s durability in title race
Manchester City can take encouragement from Arsenal’s laboured performance against Wolves, but nevertheless the league leaders’ late winner means City kick off at Selhurst Park five points behind.
Pep Guardiola’s team are coming down from the high of beating Real Madrid on their own patch, a victory that means a top-eight finish in the Champions League table is within their grasp.
A trip to Crystal Palace after a European away game is a stringent test, and Oliver Glasner’s team have the chance to go back above Chelsea and into the top four. Other than Arsenal, no team has conceded fewer Premier League goals than Palace.
They should have Ismaila Sarr available, providing he proves his fitness, before the forward joins up with Africa Cup of Nations contenders Senegal.
City are still without Rodri as he continues a complicated comeback from last season’s serious knee injury, while Josko Gvardiol will partner Ruben Dias in the heart of their defence in the absence of John Stones.
This fixture is of course a repeat of last season’s FA Cup final, when Eberechi Eze’s winning goal and Dean Henderson’s penalty save won Palace the first major trophy in their history.
Guardiola and City felt they were unfortunate that day at Wembley, missing numerous chances either side of Henderson staying on the pitch for what looked like a handball outside his penalty area.
City’s manager missed Friday’s press conference owing to a personal matter, with Kolo Touré standing in for him.
The former City defender said: “The manager’s energy every day is incredible.
”I’m so surprised, with all the years that he’s done in the league. The passion he brings to every meeting, the training sessions - he’s enjoying himself every day and we are enjoying it as well.
”You can see in the games when we play. It doesn’t matter what happens, we have a big spirit in the team, we have a lot of energy, we are fighting for every single ball.”
Full team news on the way shortly