Dazzling De Bruyne helps Manchester City sink Crystal Palace after early scare | first division

Just when city ​​of manchester They are creaking, they find a way. Of course, it helps to have Kevin De Bruyne around. His 99th goal for the club brought City back up to level just when it looked like Crystal Palace had the tools to defeat the champions. And after a frustrating first half, having Jack Grealish back fit to play key roles in goals from Rico Lewis, Erling Haaland and then De Bruyne again, completing his century, was more than helpful.

This didn't quite fit the model of winning by playing badly, as City's second-half display was full of control, poise and deadly finishes that Palace found no way to stop. Now it's up to Liverpool and Arsenal to play their cards in the three-way game of who blinks first, as Pep Guardiola turns his attention to the Champions League.

The return of Haaland and De Bruyne to the starting eleven had been made with Tuesday's game at Real Madrid in mind. So was, presumably, the benching of Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden, the latter despite his heroic hat-trick against Aston Villa. Against opponents who have regularly caused Guardiola problems, he still played a strong hand and ultimately reaped the benefits of restoring two of his franchise players.

The excitement in Oliver Glasner's selection came with the reappearance of Michael Olise on the bench. Risking Olise with an injury against Brighton in February It was one of the final blows under Roy Hodgson, and Palace had only won one game since his absence. He arrived to applause with 15 minutes remaining just as Rodri, much better after an unusually iffy first half, was taken off, the talisman's departure a sign that even Guardiola's anxieties had subsided. When Odsonne Édouard headed in a Jeffrey Schlupp cross five minutes from time, the visitors did not panic, although Olise, with a trademark shot that crossed Stefan Ortega's goal, suggested there might still be life in the game.

In Olise's absence, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton have taken on creative duties; the latter, from Blackburn, furthered his reputation as someone with an eye for a pass thanks to his role in Palace's first goal. After John Stones lost possession in midfield, it was Wharton's ball that found Jean-Philippe Mateta to gallop past the City defense and beat Ortega at the far post. Guardiola was enraged at being torn apart by someone he would have marked as dangerous. It is not the first time that Palace's speed of transition surprised City, but such attacks would become fleeting as the first Julián Álvarez. and then Rodri forced good saves from Dean Henderson.

The Palace goalkeeper had no such response to De Bruyne, who received a short pass from Grealish, shrugged his shoulders at Wharton and put the ball into the net for the equalizer celebrated with clenched fists by the scorer and the coach. City scrambled for a quick second but Henderson won one-on-one with Haaland and Palace, with Jordan Ayew crushing, proved still capable of creating chances. Oscar Bobb, a young player assigned to him on the right wing, was struggling to find space when Tyrick Mitchell deftly marked him.

When Rodri was caught with the ball and Ayew hit the corner of the post and crossbar, City were given further reminders of their opponents' threat. Then, with a fit again Ederson watching from the bench, Ortega's mettle was tested by a back pass from Rodri, before having to deflect a corner. Palace looked the most likely team to score at the end of the first half. Guardiola, with his arms on his hips, seemed exasperated by his team's failures.

In the tunnel before the second half began, the City players were deep in conversation, with the only change being the introduction of Manuel Akanji for the troubled Josko Gvardiol. Instant dividends were paid as Lewis scored only his second league goal for City, the previous also against Palace. Grealish's cross was deflected by Joachim Andersen into the path of Lewis and then into the flying boot of Jefferson Lerma.

City surgically ended the game from there, strangling Palace's supply lines to only fleeting counter-attacks. Haaland, with a header through Andersen, and De Bruyne, who attempted another long-range shot, came close.

A calm Eze left the scene with 25 minutes remaining, and the contest concluded in six minutes. Grealish provided De Bruyne to support Haaland's touch, and then played a similar role for De Bruyne's second with Rodri providing the final pass. Job done, much more easily than could have been expected during those flashes of worry in the first half.