Manchester City moved back to within two points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a 3-0 win at Crystal Palace, Erling Haaland scoring twice and Phil Foden continuing his prolific run in front of goal. At a rocking Selhurst Park, Pep Guardiola's side were forced to withstand heavy pressure and two strikes against the woodwork before their attacking class and efficiency inside the penalty area finally told.
Oliver Glasner's Palace, fresh from a European win in Dublin and buoyed by their FA Cup final triumph over City in May, created the better openings for long stretches and will feel the scoreline flatters the visitors. Yeremy Pino hit the crossbar, Adam Wharton thudded a shot against the post and Gianluigi Donnarumma was twice called into action after the interval, but Haaland's towering first-half header, Foden's precise drive from distance and a late Haaland penalty made it four consecutive league victories with at least three goals for the division's top scorers.
Palace's bright start undone by a familiar lack of cutting edge
Both teams arrived on the back of positive midweek results in Europe, but it was Palace who seized the initiative in front of their home support. Despite their disrupted return from Dublin after a problem with the plane that followed the Conference League win over Shelbourne, Glasner's side were sharp from the first whistle, executing a game plan built around aggressive pressing, quick breaks and, as the Austrian had put it, controlling the pockets around Haaland.