Manchester City twice came from behind to secure a draw against Crystal Palace, as their recent struggles continued. Despite a midweek win over Nottingham Forest, the defending champions failed to find their rhythm, and Palace might feel unlucky not to have taken all three points.
Oliver Glasner’s Palace struck early, with Will Hughes finding wing-back Daniel Munoz in acres of space to slot home after just four minutes. The hosts had opportunities to extend their lead before Erling Haaland equalized with a towering header from Matheus Nunes’ cross.
Palace regained the lead through Maxence Lacroix, who nodded in a Hughes corner, but City salvaged a point when Bernardo Silva set up Rico Lewis for a stunning strike into the top corner. However, Lewis’ night ended in disappointment when he was sent off for a second booking, following a foul on Trevoh Chalobah.
The result leaves City eight points adrift of league leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, while Palace sit four points clear of the relegation zone.
City’s Struggles Persist
Manchester City’s inconsistent form has seen them win just one of their past nine matches—a 3-0 victory over Forest—and their performance at Selhurst Park raised further concerns.
Kyle Walker was culpable for both Palace goals, keeping Munoz onside for the first and losing Lacroix in the air for the second. Goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, preferred over Ederson for a third consecutive game, could have done better with Munoz’s strike, which went through his body.
Ruben Dias was a standout performer for City, making four crucial blocks to deny Palace. Without his interventions, the result could have been worse. Haaland, with his 13th Premier League goal of the season, provided a lifeline, but it was only his third goal since September.
City created other chances, with Haaland firing straight at goalkeeper Dean Henderson when through on goal, and Ilkay Gundogan volleying over the bar. However, they registered fewer shots than Palace and were left fuming as the referee ended the match just as they launched a promising attack.
The champions now face a challenging week, with a Champions League clash against Juventus on Wednesday and a derby against Manchester United on Sunday. The question remains: can Pep Guardiola restore his team’s swagger?
Palace Showing Signs of Progress
Crystal Palace extended their unbeaten run to four matches, including three draws, and there are promising signs that they can climb the table.
Will Hughes was instrumental, delivering two superb assists. His pinpoint pass found Munoz for the Colombian’s second goal in three games, and his corner was expertly headed in by Lacroix for the Frenchman’s maiden goal in English football.
Palace recorded 13 shots to City’s 12, with Eberechi Eze, Jefferson Lerma, and Hughes testing City’s defense, particularly Ruben Dias. Despite their efforts, a draw felt like a fair outcome.
With performances like this, Palace appear to be turning a corner, and their recent form suggests they can pull further away from the relegation zone.