STERLING IS THE MASTER
PEP Guardiola spent yesterday’s journey back to Manchester keeping one eye on developments at anfield and the other on Francesco Molinari’s bid for Masters glory.
Manchester City were well on their way back home by the time Molinari hit a tee shot into the water at the 12th and followed up with another into the drink on the 15th to end his hopes.
after this win over Palace, Guardiola knows Manchester City will retain the title if his team avoid a similar splash.
at Selhurst Park yesterday, City held their nerve. But for around eight heart-stopping minutes, anxiety kicked in. Big time.
You would have forgiven those with City connections for waking up rather apprehensive yesterday morning.
Title races as close as this one can do that to you and Crystal Palace is hardly the sort of place you’d choose to go when nothing other than victory is acceptable.
For 81 minutes the champions were controlled and composed — cruising to victory thanks to raheem Sterling’s double. But out of nowhere, late pandemonium ensued, luka Milivojevic’s well struck free- kick setting- up a nail-biting finale.
Guardiola’s men, though, weathered the storm to roll over the line — at this point in the season that’s all that matters — Gabriel Jesus coming off the bench to add a third in the final minute.
roy Hodgson’s task from this point is to ensure Palace minds don’t drift after all but ensuring safety with last weekend’s win at Newcastle.
This performance will not have quelled those fears, although making assumptions based on a game against Guardiola’s Quadruple-chasing side is, perhaps, unfair. Not that the notion of Palace easing off the gas lulled Guardiola into a false sense of security here. after all, Palace inflicted one of City’s four league defeats earlier in the season.
Sterling should have put City ahead in the 10th minute, but somehow fired wide from six yards with an empty goal to aim at following david Silva’s mesmeric work down Palace’s right side.
it’s no exaggeration to say it was harder to miss. Perhaps in previous seasons we wouldn’t have been so dumbfounded.
But not this season. Not this Sterling. So it was hardly surprising that five minutes later the England international was making amends.
Kevin de Bruyne’s pass ruthlessly ripped through Palace’s rearguard. once Sterling ran off Scott dann, there was no catching him and he fired a rasping shot past Vicente Guaita and into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Had ilkay Gundogan not produced a last- ditch challenge to deny Cheikhou Kouyate, who was on as an early substitute following an injury to Jeffrey Schlupp, Palace would have levelled in the 31st minute.
City picked up where they left off in the second half — Silva’s improvised effort from de Bruyne’s low cross forcing Guaita into another save.
Eventually, the second goal arrived. Predictably it was Sterling, with his 27th for club and country this season, whose first-time finish in the 63rd minute from Sane’s pass doubled City’s advantage.
He wheeled away towards the City supporters, beaming from ear to ear, simply nodding his head.
But Palace threw the cat among the pigeons in the 82nd minute.
Vincent Kompany was adjudged to have fouled James Mcarthur on the edge of the area, leaving Milivojevic with an enticing shooting opportunity. and the Serb set-up a chaotic finish with an excellent low shot that beat Ederson to give Palace — and liverpool — hope.
But in the final minute, as Palace threw everything at trying to score an equaliser, Jesus settled those late anxieties by firing past Guaita after being set up by de Bruyne.
CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Guaita 6; Wan-Bissaka 7, Dann 6, Kelly 6.5, Van Aanholt 6; Townsend 6 (Meyer 77), Milivojevic 7, McArthur 6.5 (Sako 85), Schlupp 5 (Kouyate 22, 6.5); Zaha 6.5, Benteke 6.5. Subs not used: Hennessey, Ward, Ayew, Batshuayi. Scorer: Milivojevic 81. Manager: Roy Hodgson 6. MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Ederson 6; Walker 6.5, Kompany 6.5, Laporte 7, Mendy 6.5; De Bruyne 7.5, Gundogan 7, David Silva 7.5 (Bernardo Silva 65, 6.5); STERLING 8.5, Sane 7 (Stones 87); Aguero 6.5 (Jesus 75). Subs not used: Muric, Danilo, Mahrez, Otamendi. Scorers: Sterling 15, 63, Gabriel Jesus 90. Manager: Pep Guardiola 7. Referee: Martin Atkinson 6.5. Attendance: 25,721.