SANCHEZ TO THE RESCUE ...FOR CITY
Pep hints at bid for striker after Jesus injury in Palace scare
PEP GUARDIOLA opened the door to a January swoop for Alexis Sanchez after Gabriel Jesus was ruled out for up to two months.
Manchester City’s 18match winning streak ended as they failed to score for the first time in the Premier League this season after drawing at Crystal Palace.
And the runaway leaders also lost their Brazilian striker to a knee injury
THE whole stadium held its breath.
These are the moments that define levels of greatness and football history.
Title favourites Manchester City had looked untouchable during their incredible 18-game winning run but suddenly this was the chance to prove they are human after all.
Up stepped Luka Milivojevic with a 90th-minute penalty for Palace and the chance to end City’s unbeaten run and their hopes of emulating Arsenal’s Invincibles. But, amid the high drama, Milivojevic fluffed his big moment, putting a tame penalty down the middle and allowing City keeper Ederson to block the ball with his legs.
The record-breaking winning run had gone but this was City’s Ruud van Nistelrooy moment.
Arsenal won the title unbeaten in 2004 and the biggest let-off was when former Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy crashed a late penalty against the crossbar. City boss Pep Guardiola has dismissed the notion of winning the title unbeaten but, make no mistake, he would love to do it and it has looked more likely with every thrilling victory.
But maybe Crystal Palace, in showing City are not unbeatable, have now given hope to every other club.
A bigger problem for the table-toppers, though, was the sight of Kevin De Bruyne and Gabriel Jesus going off injured.
Jesus went off early in tears and left the ground on crutches having turned awkwardly and damaged knee ligaments. De Bruyne, surely the best player in the country this season, was the victim of an appalling challenge by Jason Puncheon.
City’s squad has coped so far but this will now be a test of resources. And Palace deserve credit for testing them.
Yes, City were well below their magnificent best and frustrations boiled over at times.
Leroy Sane was booked for kicking the ball away and he had an angry exchange with De Bruyne as passes went astray. But their comparative impotence owed much to the graft of the Palace players, who worked their socks off.
Milivojevic was superb in midfield, Wilfried Zaha gave Kyle Walker the hardest game he has had all season, and the relegationthreatened