the Loss was City’s first at home in the series since the 2-3-defeat against Manchester United in april. It was also the only hjemmekampen the light blue lost last season.
Now the reigning champions watch Liverpool take on tabelltoppen. The door is on four points before the rest of the tumultuous juleprogrammet.
Townsend-pearl
Saturday’s game started correctly enough oppskriftsmessig for the City, which had already created a number of scoring chances before Ilkay Gündogan sent the hosts the lead after 26 minutes.
So it went most wrong for Josep Guardiolas men.
1-1 came at the midtbanemannen Jeff Schlupp after 32 minutes. Three minutes later, the stage was set for a masterpiece signed Andros Townsend. Kantspilleren got the ball 25 metres from goal after a halvklarering and squeezed with a hard and utakbart shots as dundret in right under the City keeper Edersons tverrligger.
The second half started no better for the City. After the five minutes was Max Meyer taken in the City box by Kyle Walker, and the referee pointed to the straffemerket.
There was Luka Milivojevic sure, and Palace, who played the whole match with Alexander football boots on the bench, led the suddenly 3-1.
almost
One would perhaps think that the remaining 40 minutes would provide an onslaught from the City towards the Palace goal, but the guests defended very well and played actually even decent offensive football at times.
In the 76. the minute was City very close when Leroy Sané tried on free kick from almost 30 m. The German’s effort went over the wall and hit the pillar behind an outplayed Palace-keeper.
a Few minutes later was Sané on the move again, but he didn’t get shuffled her legs and abused thus the pretty crossballen from Kevin De Bruyne.
Sluttspurt
Thus took the belgian responsibility for yourself. 85 minutes was played when De Bruyne hit a post which went over goalkeeper Vicente Guaita and into the longest corner to 2-3.
And where the City had seemed small fantasiløse in the first half hour of the second half, it became very hot around the ears at the Guaita and the Palace-the defense for De Bruynes scoring.
Among other things, was Sané again were shortly after the reduction, but his attempt changed direction and went outside.
A new, great De Bruyne-post was used by Gabriel Jesus from good position. In the hectic sluttminuttene cried Crystal Palace also on a penalty kick without being heard. Several goals were it not, in any event.
