Manchester City fouled in a disappointing 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace. On Monday night, Manchester City lost two decisive points in the Premier League title race at Selhurst Park. Manchester City boss Josep Guardiola has reaffirmed his confidence that he will not go unbeaten in the Premier League after a goalless draw at Crystal Palace snapped Manchester City’s away run in the top flight. Leaders Manchester City threw everything at Palace late but failed to find a winner as they lost two valuable points in their quest to clinch four league titles in the last five seasons.
A disappointing away result gives Manchester City a slight four-point lead over Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, knowing their red enemies could close the gap to just one point if they beat Arsenal on Wednesday in the evening. While runners-up Liverpool have won their last eight English Premier League games, Manchester City has lost points in three of their previous seven games after a 1-1 draw at Southampton in January and a 3-2 defeat home from Tottenham last month.
Crystal Palace was the last team to stop City’s goal in the English Premier League in a 2–0 win at the Citizens Etihad Stadium on 30 October and did so again. However, Patrick Vieiras’ team was lucky. The headstrong Crystal Palace took their luck and took on Manchester City when Wilfried Zaha came inches from the lighting of the rocking Selhurst Park, slicing the left bandage on his right leg before delivering a soft kick that whistled lightly over the corner of the pole and the crossbar.
Kyle Walker lingered on the ball to present an opportunity and seemed to revive Manchester City when, moments later, an inspired Vicente Guaita deflected a Kevin de Bruyne shot straight at Bernardo Silva. Still, as he looked around the Palace goalkeeper, a heavy touch meant that the opportunity had been missed. The goal was to live a charmed life, Kevin De Bruyne got inside the pole, and Riyad Mahrez followed Vicente Guaita brilliantly. Manchester City was nearly penalised shortly before half-time when Riyad Mahrez swallowed Marc Guehi, their poor header, but the Algerian scored his fourth shot at half-time off target.
The initially equal Manchester City endured early Palace counter-attacks when Aymeric Laporte and Kyle Walker gave up possession under pressure, causing some nervous moments for the City. Joao Cancelo and Kevin De Bruyne hit the post for Manchester City in a primarily one-sided match, save for a few sporadic and dangerous counter-attacks by Palace, mirroring what happened in the team’s meeting four and a half months ago. John Stones landed a long-range shot from the other side, also locked in a corner, Crystal Palace broke a set-piece, and Michael Olise and Jean-Philippe Mateta joined in, only for the latter to slip as he tried to dodge his shot.
This draw has given Liverpool a ray of light, hoping for an epic end to this season. The title race between City and Liverpool may be decided on the 9th of April when both the teams meet at Etihad.
