Crystal Palace 0-3 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola gets one over nemesis Oliver Glasner
Erling Haaland scored twice on either side of Phil Foden’s 69th-minute goal to help Manchester City pass a tricky test against Crystal Palace. The scoreline would make this game appear like a routine win to the random observer, but in reality it was anything but.
It was Oliver Glasner who ensured that Pep Guardiola experienced a trophyless season last term, his first since his debut season, after Palace defeated City at Wembley in May to claim the FA Cup, the first major trophy in their history. City were always going to have a bit of revenge in their minds coming into the tie but it was Palace who had the livelier chances in the first half and looked like they would get another one over City.
Yeremy Pino pinged the crossbar in Palace’s best chance of the first period and Jean-Philippe Mateta clame close, but it was City who took the lead close to the break when Haaland headed in from Matheus Nunes’s cross.
Things did not get better for Glasner’s side in the second half. The impressive Adam Wharton – drawing more and more attention now with his superb performances – hit the post but City were moderately comfortable even before Rayan Cherki went on a mazing run and slid the ball into Phil Foden, who showcased his current level of confidence by coolly dispatching into the bottom right corner, cleverly wrong-footing Dean Henderson.
It seemed settled but City have been in danger of throwing away even bigger leads, and Palace rallied with the clock ticking down. Ismaila Sarr, Eddie Nketiah and Wharton all joined in the action as the home side peppered City’s goal. Confidence was already low among the home support when Savinho jumped in-between indecisive Palace defenders who had pushed up high and blazed towards goal.
Henderson rushed out to stop him but could only grab his boots as the Brazilian tried to round the goalkeeper. Haaland stepped up and converted from the spot to conclude the tie.
