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Put more balls into box & try to control Zaha, Guardiola says to City men at HT

  /  autty

Manchester City players were reassured by manager Pep Guardiola as they trailed at half-time against Crystal Palace.

The Blues dominated the first half but failed to take the chances they created and were made to pay before the break when Cenk Tosun headed in Gary Cahill's knockback from a corner to make it the sixth of nine games at the Etihad where the hosts have conceded the first goal.

Despite the deficit, City's manager told his players to keep going with two specific instructions. The players were able to carry out the first as both Gabriel Jesus and Benjamin Mendy provided crosses for Sergio Aguero to score two goals that turned the game on its head.

But they were unable to stop Wilfried Zaha leading a counter-attack in the dying minutes that ultimately cost City two points and left the manager scratching his head over how his team had managed to dominate for so long without ending up with all three points.

"I told them to keep going," said Guardiola. "Put more balls into the box and try to control Zaha on the counter-attack.

"It's difficult to analyse when they shoot one corner have no more chances and we did many times and unfortunately could not win. We take it one game at a time."