Manchester City went to Selhurst Park to pick up three points and left with much more. Encouraging individual performances, concerning mistakes and two academy players laying claim to a starting spot next season. Are we seeing Manchester City beginning to click into gear?

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Crystal Palace 2-4 Manchester City Review

Premier League

MOTM: Kevin De Bruyne

Other standout performances include: Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis

Notable Stats:

• Kevin De Bruyne has assisted 17 of Erling Haaland’s goals for Manchester City. The most from one Premier League player to another since the start of last season.

• Rico Lewis is the second teenager to score home and away against a specific opponent in a Premier League season for Manchester City, after Kelechi Iheanacho vs Swansea 2015/16.

• Erling Haaland is the first Premier League player to score 30+ goals across all competitions this season.

Main Takeaways:

• Some surprises in the starting lineup and they were good ones to see. De Bruyne and Haaland getting minutes before Madrid. Foden and Bernardo rested. Bobb continues his audition to be the City RW next season. We will see the benefit of Stones starting in the long term, getting the rust off against Palace in the first half.

• This is the cross from Jack Grealish into the box, leading to the goal by Rico Lewis. Notice how many players we have inside the box, making runs (Alvarez/Rico), at the back post (Haaland/Bobb) and being available for a pass (Akanji/De Bruyne/Rodri). We’ve had too many games this season without enough threats in and around the opposition box. 👇

• Speaking of Jack Grealish, everything that was good about Manchester City involved him and started down that left side. Leading up to the Haaland goal, he’s pulled in three players and has the eyes of every other Palace player in the box. Letting De Bruyne and Alvarez make runs virtually unchecked. 👇

• Now for the fourth goal, starting again with Jack Grealish down the left side. Drawing players towards him inside the box, taking the focus of the opposition away from the City players in the box. Alvarez making movement, Rodri free for a pass and De Bruyne entering the box. 👇

• Kevin De Bruyne showed today why he can play alongside Phil Foden in midfield and that he’s still got plenty left in the tank. Whilst Foden would in time take over his mantle as the creative midfielder in the team, the skill-set De Bruyne brings is like no other. We just may need another goal from outside the box on Tuesday night.

• Jack Grealish as I have mentioned above was part of everything good Manchester City did today, has got his minutes and form back in time for Real Madrid (A). Couldn't ask for better timing.

• Oscar Bobb and Rico Lewis both showed today they will save Manchester City money in the transfer window and contend for a starting spot next season. The technical quality and intelligence from these two is everything Guardiola would want in a footballer, along with their individual qualities, he can mold them into top players.
  
  For Rico, I think putting him in midfield without the defensive responsibilities at RB is best for him. He’s great in the buildup, has shown his ability linking up in the final third and arriving into the box. Reminds me of Marco Veratti in midfield.
  
  For Bobb, the spot at RW is currently wide open for next season IMO. Savio possibly arriving or spending another season on loan at Girona. Why spend £60mil+ on a Pedro Neto when you can elevate Oscar Bobb to a starter.
  

• Given Ederson did not play this game and the performances of recent weeks, Stefan Ortega should start against Real Madrid. Ederson the edge on distribution but Ortega provides more with shot-stopping. I don’t think City fans should be too closed off to the idea that Ortega steals his shirt for the remaining games of the season. In 22/23 it was very close at one point.
  
  That touch was outrageous. 👇

• Both Rodri and Stones looked like players who were either tired or rusty. Mistakes in the first half but came into the game as minutes went by. Rotation is a reality for this point in the season and for next, the squad needs better cover, ones that Guardiola completely trusts.

• Ruben Dias deserves a mention for this second half of the season quietly getting on with it all, playing a lot of minutes and being very important for us carrying into the final third. Long passes out wide or in behind. This season City have pushed higher up which isn’t in his favor but he’s got on with it and is at his best playing as a CCB. Not pulled defending out wide.

• Akanji was excellent, coming on for Gvardiol who felt something and City decided to not risk an injury. The rest of the substitutes didn’t have much to do or to take away from. Nunes clearly not trusted for the important games so next season he's got a big job on his hands to get into the lineup more regularly. Kovacic is going to have possibly a new signing along with Rico Lewis fighting him for minutes in midfield next season.

• Crystal Palace do deserve a mention post match for their performance, from the start they were a coiled spring ready to pounce on a City mistake and they got that in the first few minutes. Not quite a low block or midblock. Sitting high enough to make City feel uncomfortable. Regardless of who you want to try and blame, if Rico is inverting and you don’t have the recovery pace in the back line then a poor mistake on the ball get’s punished. Adam Wharton with an excellent pass in behind who impressed today despite his team losing the match.
  
  Stones makes the mistake with the pass and then again in recovery going the wrong side initially. He needed these minutes to get sharper before Madrid on Tuesday. My blame for these chances will always go to how the attack started given how exposed you will be in possession, pushing high up to pin the opposition back. We cannot be this careless against Madrid on the ball and next season keep your eye on Crystal Palace. Get the right players in the door this summer and they’ll become even more dangerous under Glasner.

Moving Forward:

• Title Race shaping up quite nicely with Arsenal playing this evening against Brighton (A) and Liverpool heading to Manchester to try beat United. City have done their job, perhaps one of them will drop points. GD gap is starting to close.

• Real Madrid on Tuesday night will be a daunting prospect but one we arrive in a pretty good shape for, as much as we have had our struggles this season so have they. Preview for that game will be out by Tuesday morning.

Interesting Moments and Links

• Rico Lewis discussing his performance and the team’s in the 4-2 against Crystal Palace.

• Kevin De Bruyne speaking post match about earning his spot in the team, playing with Foden and the trophies Manchester City are hunting down.

• Kevin De Bruyne has now scored 100 goals for Manchester City in all competitions. Here is where they all came from.

• Markstatsbot match statistics.

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