Match Report: Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester City (Premier League)

Manchester City closed the gap in the title race with Arsenal after a battling win away to Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.

City moved within two points of Arsenal ahead of their fixture on Sunday, courtesy of Erling Haaland’s penalty in the 77th minute after Ilkay Gundogan was fouled in the box.

The match at Selhurst Park began open with both sides seeing early chances, but a mixture of good defending and poor decision making meant that the sides went into the break unseparated at 0-0.

City continued to attack in the second half and managed to find a breakthrough from the penalty spot as Erling Haaland converted the spot kick which was enough to see out the win.

The result means that Pep Guardiola’s side are just two points away from league leaders Arsenal, who play away to Fulham on Sunday afternoon.

Regarded by many as one of the toughest away trips of the Premier League season, a visit to Selhurst Park was never going to easy for title-chasing City. Just ask the Liverpool side of 2014.

Spaniard Rodri saw the game’s first chance fall to him but after a flurry in the Palace box, the home side managed to clear their lines.

City continued to attack for the first 25 minutes but Palace remained deadly on the counter attack, seeing their own fair share of attacking play.

Both Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland went close but neither forward could give the Blues the lead they desired.

The Premier League champions were left frustrated by a compact Palace team meaning Guardiola’s men went into the break goalless.

City picked up where they left off in the second half and attacked the home side with vigour.

Phil Foden, who had an uncharacteristically poor first half, saw his place taken by Julian Alvarez in Guardiola’s first change of the game.

The Argentinian substitute saw a golden chance go begging as he fired over despite beating the Palace backline.

A clumsy challenge from Michael Olise on City captain Ilkay Gundogan saw Guardiola’s men awarded a lifeline through the penalty spot.

Haaland made no mistake and buried the opportunity, firing the Citizens into the lead with just over ten minutes left to go.

City closed out the result in what was a tough away game, keeping the title race well and truly open.

Guardiola’s side will next be in action on Tuesday evening as they host RB Leipzig in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 encounter.

City drew 1-1 with the German opposition in the first leg leaving the tie wide open with a place in the quarter-finals on offer for the victor.