HAAL’S Erling blows Palace
ERLING HAALAND was the Etihad ghostbuster as a sensational hat-trick shattered the Palace jinx.
Until the Norwegian struck it was a hat-trick of another kind which was on the cards for Pep Guardiola’s side – a third successive clean sheet for Crystal Palace against the champions.
Palace raced into a two-goal lead and Manchester City were misfiring so badly they didn’t manage a shot on target in a mistake-strewn first half.
It was the fourth time in the last six games that City have found themselves two goals down but once again their high-wire act came back to save them.
Football without a safety net and edge of the seat stuff that is destined to leave Guardiola a nervous wreck.
He said: “We are playing with a lot of risk and one day we won’t come back. The Premier League doesn’t wait for anyone.”
A second-half power surge involving a 19-minute hat-trick from Haaland left Palace stunned and bemused.
Guardiola added: “Haaland has been scoring goals ever since he was born.
“Everywhere he has been he has scored goals. He is an incredibly humble guy.”
It took less than four minutes for City’s bogey side to give the stunned Etihad a sense of deja vu.
Ederson mishandled a through ball and as it ran free outside the box Rodri cleaned out Jordan Ayew to set up Eberechi Eze for an angled free-kick.
He fizzed it in leaving City’s defence in a tangle, the ball glancing off Kyle Walker and then the unfortunate John Stones to hand Palace the lead.
And City’s vulnerability in the centre of defence was exposed again as Palace went 2-0 up.
Eze sent in a well-drilled corner which the unmarked Joachim Andersen headed powerfully past
Ederson. It could have been worse for City, with Ederson fortunate to get away with his low clearance striking Odsonne Edouard and being swept home by Ayew, referee Darren England citing a raised foot on the keeper.
Palace boss Patrick Vieiria said: “I haven’t seen it back. I was more worried about conceding four goals in the second half after a perfect first half.
“I’m not surprised by Haaland’s quality. The quality of the City side allows players to shine.”
Guardiola knew that he had work to do during the break and, whether it was the sight of Ilkay Gundogan and Julian Alvarez ready to come on or wounded pride, City were back in the game when a lofted ball from Rodri allowed Bernardo Silva to weave to the edge of the box,
His low effort deflected off Jeffrey Schlupp and past Vicente Guaita.
When the pair finally came on it was like lighting the blue touch paper for Haaland. Starved of any meaningful service in the opening half, the supply train was soon at full throttle.
First Phil Foden’s neat chip into the box saw the giant Norwegian nip in for a well-directed header – 2-2.
Next some neat pinball football in the Palace box ended with Stones setting up Haaland for a sidefooted finish virtually on the goal-line.
But there was nothing easy about his hat-trick goal, his sixth Premier League strike of the season.
Gundogan threaded the ball through and off he went, his strength taking him past two defenders followed by an accomplished finish.
Job done in the space of 19 minutes and substituted to a standing ovation.
A new king has been anointed.