Manchester City and Crystal Palace played out a 2-2 draw in a thrilling encounter at Selhurst Park, with both teams showcasing moments of brilliance and resilience.
The match, held on December 7th, 2024, saw City reduced to ten men after Rico Lewis was sent off, yet they managed to claw back twice from behind to secure a point.
The game began with Crystal Palace taking an early lead in the fourth minute. Oliver Glasner’s side started with intensity, and it paid off when Munoz latched onto a precise through-ball from Will Hughes, firing past Stefan Ortega to put the hosts ahead.
This early goal set the tone for an end-to-end contest, with both teams creating numerous chances. Ismaila Sarr and Jefferson Lerma had opportunities to extend Palace's lead, while Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan came close for City.
City found their equalizer in the 31st minute. Matheus Nunes delivered an arcing cross that neither Marc Guehi nor Dean Henderson could deal with, allowing Haaland to capitalize and score his 13th league goal of the season. This brought the scoreline to 1-1, a reflection of the competitive nature of the first half.
However, Palace regained their advantage 11 minutes into the second half. Lacroix, left unmarked, headed home from a Hughes corner, making it 2-1. But City, known for their fighting spirit, responded once more.
Midway through the second period, Bernardo Silva set up Rico Lewis, who curled a stunning shot into the top corner, leveling the match at 2-2. This marked Lewis's first goal of the season and his first since April 6, 2024, when he also scored against Palace.
Despite being down to ten men after Lewis received a second yellow card in the 84th minute, City continued to press for a winner. Both Savinho and Haaland posed threats, but ultimately, the match ended in a stalemate. The draw left City in fourth place in the Premier League table with 27 points, eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool, having played one more game.
For Crystal Palace, this performance was a testament to their recovery from an early-season slump. After a difficult start, where they drew three and lost five of their first eight matches, Palace had lost just one of their subsequent six games heading into this fixture. Their display against City suggested they were returning to the form that saw them finish in the top half of the table in the 2023/24 season.
Will Hughes was instrumental in midfield for Palace, providing assists for both goals and ensuring City never settled. Eberechi Eze, returning from injury, also impressed with his skillful play, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Sarr consistently troubled City's defense. This collective effort indicated that Palace could climb the table and dispel any relegation fears.
On the other hand, City struggled to exert control over the match, despite the return of Kevin De Bruyne, whose presence improved their attacking play. The Belgian midfielder was involved in several key moments, including setting up Haaland for an early chance and contributing to the build-up for Lewis's goal.
However, City's defensive vulnerabilities were evident, as they conceded two preventable goals. Guardiola's system, designed to minimize counter-attacks, failed to do so effectively, raising concerns about their title defense.
After the match, both managers shared their thoughts. Oliver Glasner expressed satisfaction with the point and the team's performance, acknowledging that they could have won if they had capitalized on their opportunities. "We are pleased with the point and many parts of the performance," he said. "It feels like if we'd performed at our best level we could have won the game."
Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, praised his team's resilience. "Really good. So proud of the team. I liked everything about the team, how we fought," he commented. "We have a lot of problems with our squad. We fought incredible. We came back twice. It's a difficult place to come. We struggled in the beginning. We gave everything and we take a point."
Looking ahead, Crystal Palace will face Brighton, Arsenal, Bournemouth, Southampton, and Chelsea in their next five Premier League fixtures. Meanwhile, Manchester City will prepare for matches against Manchester United, Aston Villa, Everton, Leicester City, and West Ham United.
This draw extended City's winless run in away Premier League matches to four (D1 L3), a streak not seen since 2015. Conversely, Palace have lost just one of their last seven league games (W2 D4 L1), showing signs of improvement. Daniel Munoz, with his goal against City, continued his impressive form, having been involved in seven goals since his Premier League debut in February.
Rico Lewis's red card made him only the fifth City player to score and be sent off in the same Premier League match, the first since Raheem Sterling in 2017.
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