PEP’S GOT CITY PURRING AGAIN
Palace pummelled as Guardiola’s men hit top gear and race for the title hots up
The first proper title race between Manchester United and Liverpool to have occurred in years rightly whetted appetites over the weekend. Yet, after it, the most successful Premier League team of the past decade now have this season in their own hands.
Manchester City are two points off the top with a game in hand, a situation negotiated on the quiet as eyes fixed elsewhere. They will be first, for a couple of hours at least, should Aston Villa be dealt with here on Wednesday.
The climb to this campaign’s peak has been methodical rather than lung-busting. Like plenty before them, Palace were in the game for long spells. In the game, but never really affecting it — and there is a skill to the way City are managing their tasks one by one.
Teams are not leaving the etihad having been slapped for five or six every week, as was so common a few years ago, but Pep Guardiola has moulded a very different side now. One who do not concede many, if any. More robust, although still owning that final-third flair to unlock even the most stubborn defence.
There is a reassuring feel of normality about City, who are walking in possession a little more these days, playing games at their own pace, then injecting energy when required.
It is a change that has made their manager start believing he could be lifting a third league crown in May.
Recent history suggests he might well be on to something. City are on their longest unbeaten run for three years in all competitions — it is 15 since the defeat at Tottenham. This is the first time in two years City have won eight consecutive matches, too.
With four relatively comfortable league fixtures in succession now, the resurgence could go on a little longer.
Particularly when their main protagonist is in this sort of mood. There is not a great deal left to be said of Kevin De Bruyne. Guardiola has referenced how exhausted the entire division is at the moment, yet when a mind whirs with De Bruyne’s electricity, all of that tiredness is rendered largely insignificant.
Sitting inside this stadium is to be welcomed into De Bruyne’s clinic — watching him work, remedying City. he is being allowed more freedom than ever this season, a spare man to run games such as these and the other 21 involved can seem like pawns when he is in this mood.
The assist was outrageous and spectacular, the sort of cross that tens of top-flight players may perfect at the end of a training session when they muck about, but not many try — let alone execute — when the lights are on and points need to be won. John
Stones stood eight yards from Vicente Guaita’s goal, nestled between defendfirst ers, to head home his league goal for the club. Another would follow.
That is a century of assists in all competitions for De Bruyne since his debut here in September 2015 — a frankly astonishing figure. Nobody in the Premier League is within 30 of him over the same period.
Palace — without six first-teamers, including the injured Wilfried Zaha — had been solid until their defence was breached on 26 minutes, an effort chog rused by the booming instructions of assistant manager Ray Lewington.
They occasionally broke, the exciting eberechi eze attempting an audad cious 40-yard lob an causing Kyle Walker some difficulty. ‘The back four
don’t make mistakes,’ said Guardiola. ‘Last year we made a lot, the worst.
‘If there is one player I am more than pleased that everything is going well for, it’s John Stones. he is playing because he deserves it.’
The pattern of play remained as expected, however. The night would always be defined by the frequency with which the hosts could pick a way through Palace’s midfield bank of five. Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling floated while Aleks Zinchenko provided impetus from left back.
Obvious chances were relatively sparse, owing to Palace’s defensive effort, yet they somehow finished on the end of a hiding.
‘I didn’t see us losing by that heavy margin,’ said boss Roy hodgson. ‘We knew it would be difficult to get out when we won the ball.’
Gundogan, whose ingenuity of movement in the half- spaces has been a hallmark of the City upturn, would not be outdone by De Bruyne. Gundogan’s goal, 11 minutes into the second half, was just as fabulous as the Belgian’s assist. Winning possession just outside the Palace box, Gundogan shaped his body to curl the ball into Guaita’s left-hand corner. In these strange times, the quality of an effort is often determined by the yelp of the benches and this prompted plenty of involuntary squealing. Similar could be said of Sterling’s perfect free-kick, beautifully placed into the same spot for City’s fourth near the end.
Between those strikes was Stones again. Not content with one goal, he claimed a second after 68 minutes. De Bruyne’s corner was perfect, straight on to the head of Ruben Dias and Guaita could only push the ball out.
Stones rattled it back past the goalkeeper with the confidence of a man whose career has been reborn, at the heart of a team with the confidence to remind rivals they fancy this title, too. MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-4-1): Ederson 6; Walker 6.5, Dias 8, Stones 8.5, Zinchenko 7.5; Fernandinho 6.5; Silva 7 (Foden 60min, 6.5), Gundogan 8 (Torres 71, 6), DE BRUYNE 9 (Cancelo 71, 6), Sterling 8; Jesus 6.5. Subs not used: Steffen, Rodri, Mendy, Mahrez, Delap, Doyle. Manager: Pep Guardiola 7. CRYSTAL PALACE (4-5-1): Guaita 5; Ward 6, Tomkins 5, Cahill 5, Mitchell 6; Townsend 6 (Batshuayi 79), McCarthy 6, Milivojevic 5 (Riedewald 68, 6), McArthur 6, Eze 6.5; Ayew 6.5. Subs not used: Butland, Clyne, Van Aanholt, Dann, Benteke. Manager: Roy Hodgson 6. Referee: Lee Mason 6.