GRIND GAME
City win ugly to pile title pressure on Gunners
Erling Haaland admits he’s happy to win ugly if it keeps the pressure on title rivals Arsenal.
The Norwegian’s late penalty ensured Manchester City are still breathing down the Gunners’ neck.
Pep Guardiola’s men closed the gap at the top to two points – although the league leaders can pull ahead again today when they travel to Fulham.
It was by no means pretty from City but at this stage of the season, and with the title on the line, they simply won’t care how they rack up the points.
Haaland had seen little of the ball in the 77 minutes before his goal and hadn’t been hugely effective.
But big players step up when it really matters – and he slotted the spot-kick past Palace keeper Vicente Guaita who didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. After taking his tally for the season to 28, Haaland said: “To win games and to keep performing, it’s not easy.
“It is a fight. But everyone knows how important this win is for us and we have to keep going.
“We’ve a lot of games to play so nothing is decided. I enjoy every single second. It’s good in the middle of it.”
Guardiola added: “It was very tough. Palace defend with six players in the box and Erling had two men marking him. It was a question of patience.” City dominated possession in the first half but lacked the kind of fluidity we’ve come to expect. Chances were a rarity although they should still have gone in at the break ahead.
Nathan Ake set up an opening on a plate for Haaland that you’d expect a man of his talents to gobble up.
But he was leaning back and failed even to test Guaita in the Palace goal, blazing well over.
Earlier Guaita had made a quality save to deny Rodri’s sweet volley from the edge of the area.
However, the Eagles were able to cut the supply lines to City with Marc Guehi giving Haaland little space to shine. Phil Foden drilled a fierce effort on target but again Guaita was equal.
The keeper was having such a good game that perhaps the only way City were going to find a way past him was if it was from the penalty spot.
And so it proved as Michael Olise suffered a rush of blood to the head.
Jack Grealish played a short corner to Ilkay Gundogan and Olise sprinted to close him down but lost his balance and made a clumsy challenge.
Haaland finally beat Guaita, sending him the wrong way with a cool finish.
Defeat leaves Palace without a win this calendar year and they’ve gone three games without even a shot on target – a Premier League first.
Crystal Palace .............. 0 Manchester City .......... 1