Man city 4-2 Crystal palace’s match report and highlights. Erling Haaland’s first hat-trick for the team helped Manchester City rally from a 2-0 halftime deficit to defeat Crystal Palace.

Pep Guardiola said before the game, “We have to be there from the first moment. They know they will get set pieces.”

City had already given up twice on dead balls after only 20 minutes had passed. Over the course of the entire previous campaign, the defending champions allowed just one goal from a set piece.

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Man city 4-2 Crystal Palace: As it happened

Last season, Crystal Palace famously defeated Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium after jumping out to a six-minute lead. Only 200 seconds had passed when the Eagles finally broke the score when Ebere Eze’s free kick bounced off Kyle Walker’s shoulder and past an unprepared Ederson via John Stones’ thigh.

The visitors struck again just as City found their collective footing and started to purposefully pass the ball around the final third in an effort to break up Palace’s physical and compact block.

Joachim Andersen could take the glory with a powerful header on this occasion, not a sky blue shirt, but City gave Palace another helping hand by leaving the towering center-back criminally unmarked at a corner.

For the fourth time in their last six league games, Patrick Vieira’s team left City trailing by two goals or more as he prematurely celebrated.

Expectedly, City controlled three-quarters of the ball in the opening period but failed to attempt a single shot on goal. Bernardo Silva corrected that error eight minutes after the break with a deflected shot that slid into the bottom corner.

After an hour, Guardiola shifted into a back-three with Phil Foden and Bernardo providing the necessary width to stretch Palace’s resolute back five. He then introduced Julian Alvarez and Ilkay Gundogan. Both wingbacks were involved immediately after the change, and then Foden curled an inviting cross that Erling Haaland pounced on to give City the lead.

After failing at two set pieces, City retaliated in the 70th minute with a complex routine of their own. Stones missed with his shot, but Haaland was again the quickest to react, giving City the advantage.

City popped the ball around Palace’s stretched press as they advanced in search of an equalizer. Gundogan advanced into wide expanses of grass before putting the ball at Haaland’s feet. City’s new number nine completed his hat-trick by holding off Joel Ward with the ease of an older brother taunting his younger sibling.

Player ratings for Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace

Manchester City Player Ratings

Formation: (4-3-3)

Crystal Palace becoming Pep’s bogey team after taking the lead against City once more?

GK: Ederson – 5/10 : Helpless to stop the close-range attempts that eluded him.

RB: Kyle Walker 4.0/10 : Kyle Walker turned his back on the set-piece delivery that resulted in Palace’s disastrous opening goal.

CB John Stones scored a 5/10 : It was unfortunate to see the ball squirm off his body, but he managed to gather himself and make a few crucial tackles in the transition.

CB: Ruben Dias 4/10 : He failed to control his backline during dead balls.

LB Joao Cancelo 4/10: In the crowded penalty area, Cancelo’s final ball hardly ever found its intended target after pulling wide on the left, overlapping Foden, and leaving Walker as the inverted fullback.

CM: Bernardo Silva – 8/10 : Bernardo’s velcro-like close control repeatedly drifted wide on the right.

CM: Rodri – 7/10 : Snapping into a tackle aggressively and quickly whenever City lost the ball in midfield. Rodri made sure that the threat from Palace only applied to set pieces.

CM: Kevin De Bruyne 5/10: The Belgian was persistent, if not always successful, in his efforts to thread the needle as he roamed the area looking for the ball.

RW: Riyad Mahrez received a 4/10 for maintaining his position in the wide areas but fell short of avoiding Guardiola’s initial round of substitutions.

FWD:Erling Haaland 8/10 : His ability to read the ball’s bounce and spin expertly in a constrained area. also exhibited his imposing physical advantages when space did become available.

LW: Phil Foden – 6/10 – Headed City’s best opportunity of the opening period over the bar but atoned for it with a deft pass.

SUB: Julian Alvarez (61′ for Mahrez) – 6/10 – As soon as he entered the field, Alvarez gave Palace another body in the box to deal with.

Ilkay Gundogan (61′ for Cancelo) – 7/10 – Made the most of the space that became available as the game progressed.

For Haaland, substitution: Sergio Gomez (84′) – N/A

De Bruyne is replaced by Cole Palmer in the 89th minute.

Pep Guardiola, manager; 8/10 You cannot claim that he failed to warn his team as well as everyone else. Guardiola took control of the situation after making adjustments that ultimately resulted in another victory.

Crystal Palace Player Ratings

Formation (5-4-1)

GK: Vicente Guaita 6/10 : He received a score of 6/10 for consistently inducing a groan from the crowd at the Etihad Stadium.

RWB: Nathaniel Clyne 6/10 rarely took a step forward in a defensive-only performance.

CB: Joel Ward (5/10) – Obstructed the half-space that the City love to weave in and out of but was intimidated by Haaland.

CB: Joachim Andersen 7/10 – East Manchester’s independence was something that Andersen commandingly fully embraced.

CB: Marc Guehi – 6/10 – Alert and alive for much of the threat from City, but punished as soon as he let his focus lapse.

LWB: Tyrick Mitchell – 7/10 – Fought Mahrez in an exciting duel, winning it for both the forward and the defender. It’s unfortunate to have to leave after only an hour due to an injury.

FWD Jordan Ayew 7/10 – I will rate him 7 despite having a permanent frown on his face. Ayew appeared to enjoy the strict defensive discipline Vieira required of him.

CM: Cheick Doucoure, earned a score of 6/10 for his nimble midfield play.

CM Jeffrey Schlupp received a 6/10 for his quickness in jumping out of Palace’s midfield line to prevent City from conducting their build-up completely unhindered.

Every time he received the ball, Ebere Eze was electric and almost always managed to wriggle into space.

Odsonne Edouard, a selfless player, received a 6 out of 10.

Mitchell is replaced by Chris Richards in the 57th second.

SUB: Will Hughes (in the 67th second, Edouard) – 5.0/10

SUB: Michael Olise (74 seconds) for Clyne – N/A

Ayew is replaced by Jean-Philippe Mateta in the 74th minute.

Patrick Vieira, manager – 5/10 Vieira’s team utilized the same formation that frustrated Liverpool, effectively converting their opportunities while failing to respond to the adjustments Guardiola made.

Man of the Match: Erling Haaland