Report & Highlights: Manchester City produce comeback to beat Palace

SUMMARY:

• Palace make one change from the win over Brighton, with Chris Richards returning to the defence.
• 5: First City chance as McAtee gets in behind, but his tame effort is saved by Henderson.
• 8 – GOAL: Eze converts after a flowing Palace move to give the Eagles an early lead.
• 21 – GOAL: Richards heads home from close range after Wharton’s corner.
• 30: Eze curls home a superb finish, but the technology shows he was marginally offside when receiving the ball.
• 33 – GOAL: De Bruyne whips in a free-kick to halve the deficit.
• 36 – GOAL: Marmoush equalises from close range.
• HT: Man City 2-2 Palace
• 47 - GOAL: Kovačić’s effort flies into the bottom corner.
• 56 – GOAL: McAtee produces a composed finish for City’s fourth.
• 59: Brilliant save from Henderson denies Marmoush.
• 79 – GOAL: O’Reilly’s effort deflects in off Clyne and into the Palace goal.
• FT: Man City 5-2 Palace

Early goals from Ebere Eze and Chris Richards gave Palace a flying start at the home of the champions, inside just over 20 minutes.

But Kevin De Bruyne inspired a comeback, with the City playmaker scoring one and creating another to send the teams in level at half-time.

City then started faster after the break to take the game away from the Eagles, with goals from Mateo Kovačić, James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly putting them clear, with a final scoreline of 5-2 only partially telling the story of a frantic game.

In glorious Manchester sunshine, it was the side wearing yellow that created the first chance inside the opening minutes, Jean-Philippe Mateta heading wide from Daniel Muñoz’s cross.

City immediately responded when a perfect pass from Kovačić found James McAtee, who shot tamely at Henderson.

Only minutes later Palace made the hosts pay. Munoz played a first-time pass down the right wing to Ismaila Sarr, who sent in a lovely, inviting low cross across the face of goal.

It gave Eze a simple task at the back post and the Palace No. 10 was able to guide it into the net, to give Glasner’s side a dream start.

City were nearly level in the 12th minute, Omar Marmoush going through one-on-one but Dean Henderson making a vital save, with feint penalty appeals quickly dismissed. Kevin De Bruyne managed to reach the follow up, but failed to hit the target, as Palace survived.

And they would soon be 2-0 up when Adam Wharton produced a perfect corner kick following another lightning quick break up-field. City keeper Ederson couldn’t make contact and Richards managed to get his head to it to find the net.

At this point Palace were oozing confidence and twice went close to making it 3-0. First Daichi Kamada got to the byline before teeing up Ismaïla Sarr, but he fired over the bar from close range.

Seconds later Eze found the net again after another flowing team move, curling the ball into the bottom corner of Ederson’s goal. It was very tight, but the semi-automated system quickly showed he was fractionally offside.

Had Palace got the third the hosts may well have imploded. Instead, City’s response was sharp. Kevin de Bruyne, who had already hit the post in an impressive display, curled a stunning free-kick in off the post, with Henderson beaten.

McAtee then should have levelled on his first Premier League start, but could only head wide from a few yards out, after a perfect Marmoush cross.

The warning signs were there for Palace and only seconds later a chaotic game turned again. McAtee’s cross was nodded back across goal by De Bruyne, where the onrushing Marmoush slammed it past Henderson.

Shell-shocked, Palace were now looking to get in level at the break and managed to do so, despite De Bruyne again going close – the Belgian firing over after dancing into the Palace box with some superb skill in first-half injury time.

City started the second 45 minutes in the same manner they had ended the first. With the first attack after the restart, De Bruyne knocked the ball into Kovačić 's path, who drilled home into the far corner.

Palace, who had introduced Will Hughes from the bench instead of Mateta, were now struggling to get control – and the hosts had a fourth goal only ten minutes after the restart.

Ederson’s long ball found McAtee in-behind the Palace defence – and this time he produced a smart finish, rounding Henderson before slotting home.

Glasner introduced Ben Chilwell and Nathaniel Clyne to proceedings and Palace managed to slowly stem the wave of City attacks.

But it was the home side who grabbed the next goal to end the contest – Nico O’Reilly’s shot deflecting in off Clyne from close range. That concluded the scoring on an end-to-end, but ultimately disappointing game for Palace.

The Eagles will be looking to respond on Wednesday night, when making another long trip north to face Newcastle.

Palace: Henderson (GK), Richards, Lacroix (Clyne, 63), Lerma, Muñoz, Wharton (Devenny, 80), Kamada, Mitchell (Chilwell, 63), Sarr, Eze (Franca, 80), Mateta (Hughes, 46).

Subs: Matthews (GK), Ward, Kporha, Umeh.

Manchester City: Ederson (GK) (Ortega, 71) , Lewis, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Kovacic (Grealish, 87), Nico, Gundogan, De Bruyne (Doku, 87), McAtee (Savinho, 82), Marmoush (Bobb, 82).

Subs: Bernardo, Reis, Nunes, Khusanov.

AS IT HAPPENED