Manchester City produced a sensational second-half performance to overturn an early deficit and beat Crystal Palace 5-2 at the Etihad Stadium, thanks largely to a masterclass from Kevin De Bruyne.
The defending champions found themselves in deep trouble just 20 minutes in, as Palace took full advantage of City’s sluggish start. Eberechi Eze opened the scoring with a cool finish after a flowing counter-attack, before Chris Richards rose unchallenged to head home from a corner and double the visitors’ lead.
Palace, who had been struggling for form, looked energized and confident, threatening on every break. Eze thought he had bagged a brace after finding the bottom corner from distance, but the goal was ruled out for a narrow offside — a moment that ultimately shifted the momentum of the game.
City responded in typical fashion. Kevin De Bruyne, making just his second start since returning from injury, sparked the comeback with a brilliant free-kick that curled in off the post. That goal galvanized the hosts, who began to dominate possession and push Palace back.
Just before halftime, De Bruyne again played a crucial role, heading a ball into the path of Ilkay Gundogan. Though the German mis-hit his shot, it fell perfectly for Omar Marmoush to hammer in the equaliser — his first Premier League goal for City.
Guardiola’s halftime talk seemed to light a fire under his players. Within two minutes of the restart, Mateo Kovacic latched onto a clever De Bruyne lay-off and fired home to give City the lead for the first time.
Ederson turned provider for City’s fourth with a pinpoint long ball over the top, finding James McAtee, who timed his run perfectly and calmly rounded Dean Henderson to slot into an empty net. The academy product’s goal underlined City’s depth and attacking quality.
There was still time for 18-year-old Nico O’Reilly to make his mark, volleying in a fifth — albeit with a deflection off Nathan Clyne — to complete the rout and cap a dominant second-half display.
The only concern for City was Ederson limping off with what appeared to be a muscle strain after playing a pass, raising questions about his availability for the upcoming fixtures.
With the win, Manchester City climb into the Premier League’s top four, keeping their title defense firmly on track. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are left to rue missed opportunities after a promising start crumbled into a heavy defeat.
