The game was up when Ruben Dias acted the overlapping left back and planted a deep cross straight into the arms of Vicente Guaita. Everybody sighed. Dias genuinely believes he can do everything but idea of the rugged centre half fashioning an equaliser from that area of the pitch was nonsensical.
2021/2022 Premier League
0-2
Match Report
That Dias found himself out there at all spoke to a frenzied, confused Manchester City. When they do lose, they lose rather dramatically. Pep Guardiola will fear the implications of this result on their title defence, now five points behind Chelsea. The only consolation for him is that Liverpool also dropped home points on a mad afternoon.
Crystal Palace deserved this, excellently drilled by Patrick Vieira – once tipped to eventually take the top job at the Etihad Stadium – and left with only a second Premier League victory under his stewardship.
It was no fluke that Vieira left with the points, perfecting a game plan that has left City undone by a few others at this ground in recent seasons. Notably Palace three years ago.
So when Conor Gallagher swept home their second, on the break after a siege on their box by 10-man City, it came as no surprise.
Wilfried Zaha had given them an early lead and Palace held it resolutely, then bouncing with the game stretched.
Even before the red card, one of Aymeric Laporte’s own making, City were messy.
The usual problems when things aren’t going their way: too many looping crosses, too much rushing when presented with the narrowest of space against compact opposition.
None of that is particularly new. Guardiola’s team losing their composure so spectacularly is though, and proof that Palace were under their skins.
That becomes easier to do with something to hold. Zaha, at the centre of everything, was ultimately the one who gave it them but Laporte was woefully culpable.
Palace wanted to cut off supply into Rodri and with his primary option closed off six minutes in, Laporte checked back on himself 30 yards from his own goal.
The defender’s heavy touch was a lightning rod for the energetic Gallagher, whose fortitude saw him turnover possession and gallop clear.
Zaha had peeled off to the left, collected the pass, and sent a scruffy effort right into Ederson’s far corner, leaving the goalkeeper wondering whether he might have done better.
With it, Zaha became the first Palace player to reach 50 top-flight goals.
Given it was so early, City need not have panicked. But they did. Joao Cancelo shot from anywhere, crosses pumped into a non-existent target man.
Bernardo Silva inexplicably and unusually passed one ball straight out of play, splitting his own men. Even Phil Foden was giving the ball away.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
5' GOAL! Man City 0-1 Crystal Palace (Zaha)
19' Rodri's shot denied
20' Cancelo's shot flies high
25' Jesus & Grealish's shot blocked
36' Cancelo's shot blocked
43' Grealish goes down in the box but ref says no penalty!
45' Yellow Card! Bernardo booked
46' Red Card! Laporte sent off
49' CHANCE! Rodri's shot inches high
52' Guehi's header over the bar
59' Disallowed! Jesus scores but the goal is offside
59' OFFSIDE! Zaha‘s goal disallowed
69' Jesus' header too high
76' Gallagher's shot denied
87' GOAL! Man City 0-2 Crystal Palace (Gallagher)
Line-ups
Man City XI: Walker, De Bruyne, Cancelo, Laporte, Ederson, Grealish, Ruben Dias, Bernardo, Jesus, Rodri, Foden
Subs: Fernandinho, Gundogan, Mahrez, Sterling, Ake, Stones, Zinchenko, Z. Steffen, C. Palmer
Crystal Palace XI: McArthur, Kouyate, Guaita, Ward, Jordan Ayew, Zaha, Andersen, O. Édouard, Guehi, C. Gallagher, T. Mitchell
Subs: Tomkins, Benteke, Martin Kelly, Clyne, Milivojevic, Schlupp, J. Butland, J. Mateta, M. Olise