Palace 0-2 Man City
Manchester City's Yaya
Touré celebrates scoring his side's second goal against Crystal Palace
at Selhurst Park. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters
All the defiant chest-thumping in Chelsea celebration and
gnashed frustration on the Kop had inevitably drawn the focus but, by
the final whistle here, arguably the weekend's most ominous statement of
intent had been delivered in a corner of south London. Manchester City are still third in the table, peering up at the teams who collided at Anfield, but the title is theirs to lose.
This victory was efficient in its delivery but menacing in its timing. Crystal Palace's resurgence over an immaculate month of results, five wins having carried them into mid-table and guaranteed a longer stay at this level, had left the fixture appearing awkward though, in overcoming their hosts so comfortably, City merely reminded the division of their underlying qualities. They were expansive in flashes to establish their lead, strong and aggressive in maintaining it, and assured in denying Palace any hint of recovery. They have ruthlessly wrested back control in the championship race.
Win at Goodison Park on Saturday and they will be top for the first time since Chelsea visited the Etihad Stadium in late January, if only until the London club host Norwich the following day and then, back at Selhurst Park on Monday, Liverpool seek to restore their own momentum at Palace's expense. That game at Everton appears City's most daunting, with the home meetings against Aston Villa and West Ham that follow far more appealing. Win all three and, barring Liverpool running up a cricket score in each of their final two fixtures, City will reclaim the trophy.
Such success had felt unthinkable a few weeks ago when points were shed so wastefully at Anfield and at home to Sunderland. Theirs has been an oddly inconsistent season – for all that they have scored goals at will and boast the second stingiest defence – though, as José Mourinho has regularly reminded anyone who cares to listen, they had always boasted the strongest squad. It may be that Mourinho is proved right and the depth of quality at Manuel Pellegrini's disposal ultimately proves decisive.
Yaya Touré returned here after a fortnight's absence with a thigh complaint and was a colossus, assisting and then scoring the first-half goals to grant the visitors their breathing space. Fernandinho could rest up on the sidelines for more than an hour, watching on as Javi García anchored effectively, James Milner and Pablo Zabaleta wounded the hosts down one flank and Sergio Agüero buzzed disconcertingly around the home centre-halves.
Undoubtedly knowledge of the result on Merseyside had spurred them on, though this was merely the natural order being imposed. Palace have been much improved in recent weeks but there is still a gulf in class that can be exposed when better opponents find their rhythm.
"For us to have won today, every one of my players had to be at their best, and even then you're hoping to catch City on a bad day," said Tony Pulis. "I don't think half of my players played at their maximum, and they'd accept that. Playing against some teams, it's not a level playing field. We've been beaten by the most expensive club side in world sport."
It still helped the visitors that they breached their hosts so early. Palace relish soaking up pressure and biting at pace on the break and, even against the elite, they have rarely been punctured during the initial spells of matches. Yet here they were still warming into the contest when they were prised apart. Touré was granted too much time in a pocket of space outside the penalty area, the Ivorian capitalising on the lack of a challenge to conjure a centre which reflected his pedigree. Edin Dzeko duly leapt between Scott Dann and Adrian Mariappa to nod his fifth league goal in eight outings down and in. Those goals have been timely given that Álvaro Negredo's form has departed in the opposite direction.
The concession posed the home side problems, their immediate dilemma whether to chase parity or retain a level of patience. They competed ruggedly thereafter without really unsettling Joe Hart, only to be undone again just as the interval approached. Touré's exchanges with Dzeko and Samir Nasri bypassed flustered Palace players, with the midfielder bursting away, holding off Damien Delaney's challenge en route, before cutting inside Dann and dispatching a glorious shot beyond Julián Speroni and into the top corner.
"Touré being fit was a really big disappointment for me," said Pulis with a smile. "He's a wonderful player who can do things that can cause havoc. To think he's been out for [two] weeks and can play like that …" The midfielder's celebration, and the fist-pumping of team-mates and coaching staff alike, reflected the wave of conviction that was suddenly sweeping the visitors along. Even at the interval, their work here was done.
There was huff and puff from Palace for what remained, Speroni doing well to deny Dzeko a third, but this was a win secured in some comfort. City can now concentrate on the trickier trip to Goodison Park and hope Palace rediscover some of their solidity and composure on the counter against Liverpool two days later. Regardless, momentum is with them again. Three wins and, surely, the title is reclaimed.
Man of the match Yaya Touré (Manchester City)
This victory was efficient in its delivery but menacing in its timing. Crystal Palace's resurgence over an immaculate month of results, five wins having carried them into mid-table and guaranteed a longer stay at this level, had left the fixture appearing awkward though, in overcoming their hosts so comfortably, City merely reminded the division of their underlying qualities. They were expansive in flashes to establish their lead, strong and aggressive in maintaining it, and assured in denying Palace any hint of recovery. They have ruthlessly wrested back control in the championship race.
Win at Goodison Park on Saturday and they will be top for the first time since Chelsea visited the Etihad Stadium in late January, if only until the London club host Norwich the following day and then, back at Selhurst Park on Monday, Liverpool seek to restore their own momentum at Palace's expense. That game at Everton appears City's most daunting, with the home meetings against Aston Villa and West Ham that follow far more appealing. Win all three and, barring Liverpool running up a cricket score in each of their final two fixtures, City will reclaim the trophy.
Such success had felt unthinkable a few weeks ago when points were shed so wastefully at Anfield and at home to Sunderland. Theirs has been an oddly inconsistent season – for all that they have scored goals at will and boast the second stingiest defence – though, as José Mourinho has regularly reminded anyone who cares to listen, they had always boasted the strongest squad. It may be that Mourinho is proved right and the depth of quality at Manuel Pellegrini's disposal ultimately proves decisive.
Yaya Touré returned here after a fortnight's absence with a thigh complaint and was a colossus, assisting and then scoring the first-half goals to grant the visitors their breathing space. Fernandinho could rest up on the sidelines for more than an hour, watching on as Javi García anchored effectively, James Milner and Pablo Zabaleta wounded the hosts down one flank and Sergio Agüero buzzed disconcertingly around the home centre-halves.
Undoubtedly knowledge of the result on Merseyside had spurred them on, though this was merely the natural order being imposed. Palace have been much improved in recent weeks but there is still a gulf in class that can be exposed when better opponents find their rhythm.
"For us to have won today, every one of my players had to be at their best, and even then you're hoping to catch City on a bad day," said Tony Pulis. "I don't think half of my players played at their maximum, and they'd accept that. Playing against some teams, it's not a level playing field. We've been beaten by the most expensive club side in world sport."
It still helped the visitors that they breached their hosts so early. Palace relish soaking up pressure and biting at pace on the break and, even against the elite, they have rarely been punctured during the initial spells of matches. Yet here they were still warming into the contest when they were prised apart. Touré was granted too much time in a pocket of space outside the penalty area, the Ivorian capitalising on the lack of a challenge to conjure a centre which reflected his pedigree. Edin Dzeko duly leapt between Scott Dann and Adrian Mariappa to nod his fifth league goal in eight outings down and in. Those goals have been timely given that Álvaro Negredo's form has departed in the opposite direction.
The concession posed the home side problems, their immediate dilemma whether to chase parity or retain a level of patience. They competed ruggedly thereafter without really unsettling Joe Hart, only to be undone again just as the interval approached. Touré's exchanges with Dzeko and Samir Nasri bypassed flustered Palace players, with the midfielder bursting away, holding off Damien Delaney's challenge en route, before cutting inside Dann and dispatching a glorious shot beyond Julián Speroni and into the top corner.
"Touré being fit was a really big disappointment for me," said Pulis with a smile. "He's a wonderful player who can do things that can cause havoc. To think he's been out for [two] weeks and can play like that …" The midfielder's celebration, and the fist-pumping of team-mates and coaching staff alike, reflected the wave of conviction that was suddenly sweeping the visitors along. Even at the interval, their work here was done.
There was huff and puff from Palace for what remained, Speroni doing well to deny Dzeko a third, but this was a win secured in some comfort. City can now concentrate on the trickier trip to Goodison Park and hope Palace rediscover some of their solidity and composure on the counter against Liverpool two days later. Regardless, momentum is with them again. Three wins and, surely, the title is reclaimed.
Man of the match Yaya Touré (Manchester City)
Comments
Post a Comment