Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester City: Erling Haaland’s late penalty rescues victory for champions who put pressure on Arsenal
Report and free highlights with commentary from the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Selhurst Park; Erling Haaland scored a penalty with 12 minutes to go after Ilkay Gundogan was fouled; City now two points behind Arsenal, who go to Fulham on Super Sunday
Erling Haaland’s late penalty with 12 minutes to go moved Manchester City within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal for 24 hours at least, on a night when it looked like Pep Guardiola’s side would be frustrated.
City were wasteful for most of the Selhurst Park clash and Haaland himself could have walked away with the matchball. The Norwegian striker had a great chance to open the scoring on the half-hour mark but somehow missed the target from six yards out with the goal gaping.
But just as Guardiola was about to bring Kevin De Bruyne on, Ilkay Gundogan was felled by a clumsy Michael Olise challenge in the box, leaving Haaland to strike home the penalty.
Victory means City have applied the pressure on Arsenal, who are now just two points ahead of the reigning champions ahead of their Super Sunday London derby at Fulham, live on Sky Sports from 2pm.
Palace, meanwhile, failed to test Ederson in the 90 minutes, meaning they are the first Premier League club since Opta began taking data in 2003 to fail to register a shot on target for three consecutive games.
How City huffed, puffed and found a way
It took City just three minutes to start attacking the Palace goal, with goalkeeper Vicente Guaita forced into a superb opening stop.
John Stones, back in City’s Premier League line-up for the first time in six weeks, nodded a cross back to Rodri, whose fierce drive from inside the area was well parried by the Palace goalkeeper.
Moments later, Jack Grealish then beat four Palace defenders down the left before missing Guaita’s near post with a low drive.
A frantic opening five minutes was rounded off by Wilfried Zaha air-kicking Olise’s cross at the near post, in a warning sign for Guardiola’s side.
Haaland then had one shot from the edge of the area well-blocked by Marc Guehi – but his next chance on the half-hour mark was much more gilt-edged.
Grealish fed Nathan Ake on the underlap, with the defender’s cross finding the City striker just six yards out. Haaland inexplicably went underneath the ball, which flew over Guaita’s bar.
City came out with similar intentions after half-time and had a glorious opportunity to score when Grealish was fouled on the edge of the area, despite faint appeals for a penalty. Foden could only smack the set-piece straight at Guaita, who palmed the effort away.
That was the England attacker’s last act of the game, as he was brought off for Julian Alvarez who instantly had a golden opportunity to score.
The Argentine forward spun his man in the box from Bernardo’s pass but fired over when he had more time to pick his spot.
Minutes later, Alvarez struck from distance at a short corner but again, Guaita was there with stinging palms.
Palace’s resistance would only last a further 10 minutes as Olise couldn’t stop his feet from charging down Gundogan at a short corner and caught him high on the midfielder’s ankle. Referee Robert Jones had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and the Palace attacker had no complaints.
Haaland stepped up to roll the resulting past kick past Guaita, who was able to quell City’s attacks no more.
The Norwegian striker could have made it two but he only headed Grealish’s cross following a counter-attack over the crossbar. City held on comfortably for a fourth victory in five games – a reminder that they can produce a winning run needed to win the title.
Pep hails Haaland’s mentality
Man City manager Guardiola hailed the mentality of striker Haaland after coming back from his missed chance to score the winner.
“One of the best things of knowing him well together is he can miss one chance and he won’t get depressed, or he’s not sad. And he’s positive – next one,” Guardiola said.
“He knows he will have the chance and he’ll be there. That’s an incredible attribute as a football player and as an athlete. Normally, in football, basketball or tennis, when you’re thinking of the action just passed or finished, you cannot be a good athlete. This guy has another one, another one.
“Of course, he feels the pressure. It’s nice. You have to feel it. If you don’t feel the pressure, you will be in the bar drinking something. You have to cope and handle it.
“It’s the pressure of if we lose, we lose the Premier League. If we lose 2-0, we lose the Champions League. If we lose against Vinny [Kompany] then we lose the FA Cup. That is good mentality, to drive you to be the best.
Asked about his team’s overall mentality, Guardiola added: “Football is like that. We played incredibly well against Nottingham Forest to win 4-0, 5-0 and then we draw. They were really good.
“I couldn’t expect a 4-0 or 5-0 [this time] but we always tried to attack. They defended really well with the physicality they have. I had a feeling that [Jordan] Ayew, Eze, Zaha – they would come in the second half.
“They have incredibly talented players, they can keep the ball within each other. In the end, we found the penalty, good determination from Erling.”
Vieira rues lack of concentration in winner
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira could not hide his frustration about his side conceding the crucial spot-kick against Man City.
The Eagles boss said his side lacked leaders at that moment but the process of developing those skills will take time.
“I’m really frustrated. We needed to defend well against City, we did it really well,” he said. “The frustration is conceding the penalty and that is something we should avoid, that lack of concentration.
“The moment on the corner where there was a lack of attention of organisation. That’s what I expect from the players as well. That’s where I need someone to take leadership and a voice to defend better.
“I’ve been here for 16 months now and we changed a lot of things. The process takes time. Michael made the foul inside the box that shows the lack of exprience on those kinds of periods and moments. That’s how he is going to learn.”
Asked how his side will fix their scoring and chance creation record, Vieira added: “It’s a bit of everything. I have to work on things a little bit more. I have to find a better combination to make them combine better. That’s my responsibility.”
What’s next?
Manchester City‘s attention now turns away from the Premier League, as they host RB Leipzig in the Champions League last-16 second-leg on Tuesday night, before welcoming Vincent Kompany’s Burnley in the FA Cup quarter-final on the following Saturday.
Crystal Palace to go Brighton in the Premier League on Wednesday night, before travelling to Arsenal next Sunday.
