Crystal Palace 0-3 Manchester City Review

Premier League GW16

After winning a big game in the Champions League, you must follow that up with a win in the Premier League. This was an important result for Manchester City, who can go top with a win against West Ham next weekend, and in the League Cup midweek, a chance to rest key players. Continuing to keep pace and put pressure on Arsenal.

Notable Stats:

• Foden scored his eighth goal from outside the box since the beginning of 2023-24. Only Kylian Mbappé (14) has scored more in Europe’s big five leagues in that time.

• Most Premier League goals scored from outside the box for Man City:
  30 - Kevin De Bruyne
  21 - Sergio Agüero
  16- Yaya Touré
  12 - Carlos Tevez
  12 - Phil Foden

• City failed to register a single shot in the opening 25 minutes of a Premier League match for the first time since December 2024 (v Liverpool). They managed just four touches in the opposition box in the first half, only having fewer in three Premier League matches under Guardiola (three vs Arsenal in September 2025, three vs Manchester United in March 2020, and three vs Liverpool in December 2016).

• Manchester City are now unbeaten in their last 11 trips to Selhurst Park in the Premier League, winning eight of those (D3), and keeping five clean sheets in their last seven.

• Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has now scored 2+ goals in 26 different Premier League matches, moving level in joint 10th with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Game Stats:

Crystal Palace 0-3 Manchester City

• xG: 1.61 - 1.13

• xThreat: 0.83 - 1.09

• Possession: 39.0% - 61.0%

• Field Tilt: 49.3% - 50.7%

• Penalty Box Shots: 11 - 5

• Deep Entries: 11 - 9

• PPDA: 12.1 - 8.8

• High Turnovers: 12 - 4

Manchester City win four consecutive Premier League games for the first time this season.

Rayan Cherki completed his second full 90 of the season.

When starting, the back four of O'Reilly, Nunes, Gvardiol, and Dias have won 9/10 games this season.

If you want to stay up-to-date on individual player minutes, back four combinations, underlying numbers, and more, check out the live Google sheet below. 👇

Only one change for Manchester City as Reijnders came in for the injured Jeremy Doku. Until rotating with Silva, Cherki held the width on the right side, and Nico O’Reilly on the left. Nico Gonzalez dropping into the backline as they looked to bait out the front three of Palace of play through the lines into Reijnders, Foden, and Silva.

In the few instances where they pressed Crystal Palace, as we’ve seen in recent games, Haaland sits off to the right side to come across the CB and on the keeper, pushing him to the left side. Reijnders is in front of Wharton, then jumps up to press Lacroix. Foden to press Richards. Pino moving inside, Clyne advancing to the defensive line, gave Palace opportunities to outnumber City if they played long into the middle and could win the second balls.

There wasn’t a shortage of half-chances for Palace in the first half. A combination of players being poor in possession. Nico Gonzalez, a couple of times carried into traffic. Missing an extra body in the middle to deal with second balls. Being too eager to play the passes forward or jump up to press.

The xG for the game (1.61) can be slightly misleading, given the two biggest chances that fell to Yermino Pino would have been ruled out offside. The 17’ (0.47xG) one was the biggest chance for Palace in the game, off the crossbar. It wouldn’t have stood, but it comes from the in-between phase of Foden jumping to press Richards, Reijnders moving inside to pick up Wharton, leaving him free to receive on the half-turn and play the ball over for Pino.

Away from those, for genuine chances, Donnarumma stopped Mateta inside the box, who also held the ball up for Clyne to get a shot, and Pino dribbled his way on the box after Nico lost the ball, for a shot blocked by Dias.

At least rewatching, removing the two offside chances, Palace weren’t as threatening as it felt live, but the mistakes were there in the first half from Manchester City. Missing an extra body in midfield to win second balls and be a passing option. A touch careless in possession. Rushing the action once they arrived in the final third. It’s not surprising they had two shots, as every opportunity to move past the Palace's 1st and 2nd line, the next action wasn’t made well. Balls over the top into Reijnders and Haaland are just two examples.

The last point to mention in their first-half struggles was not freeing up Cherki enough to move inside. Nunes pushed back with Pino looking to press him. The team needed a reshuffle at half-time.

E. Haaland 41' 0-1 

Silva dribbles down the line, pulls two Palace players with him, and passes back to Nunes in space to cross. Having Reijnders and Foden making runs into the box leaves him 1v1 with Richards. Nunes crosses to the back-post for Erling Haaland to head back across the goal to the far corner.

There were 25 passes in the build-up to Erling Haaland's opening goal, the most for a Manchester City goal in the Premier League since Rodri v West Ham in May 2024 (31).

Erling Haaland has now scored 5 headed goals this season across all competitions. More than he's scored during the 24/25 (4) or 23/24 (4) season. On track to surpass his total during 22/23 of 8.

For Matheus Nunes, this is his second assist for Erling Haaland this season. That's 9 since he joined Manchester City in 2023.

The opening goal was a crucial one in changing the game state. For Crystal Palace, sitting in their midblock and looking to pounce on mistakes, it suits them to be level or ahead. But behind, chasing the game, it’s not in their favour.

In the second half, Phil Foden dropped deeper to work alongside Nico Gonzalez in winning the second balls and progressing the ball. Nunes was free to push up on the right side and allow Cherki to move inside. That made the difference in and out of possession.

Another moment of Nico Gonzalez being dispossessed at the start of the second half (49’) leads to Wharton having a shot just wide of the near-post from outside the box. Gvardiol has a chance from a Cherki set-piece delivery (56’).

Nico Gonzalez wins a loose ball, his touch lays the ball to Foden in the middle, who dribbles through a couple of Palace players and puts it through to Cherki. He plays Reijnders through into the box for a good shot saved by Henderson (57’). Nunes out wide, Cherki inside, and Foden in midfield with Nico. It came together for a chance.

P. Foden 69' 0-2 

Now it comes together for another. Haaland comes across to pick up the loose ball, passes back to Nunes, who plays Cherki inside. He turns and dribbles at the Palace backline. Wharton comes across, leaving Reijnders to run at the backline and Foden free in space. Cherki lays it off the Foden, he takes a touch to set the ball and shoots low back across the goal to the bottom right corner. Henderson steps across to his right, Foden's left, when he's seen him take a touch, which leaves the space in the corner and him flat-footed when the shot comes across.

As I mentioned with the opening goal, this was crucial in killing the momentum for Palace, trying to get back into the game. Making them chase it more and come out of their preferred approach, sat off in a midblock. In the first half, Manchester City had 70% possession, but in the second, it was 50%.

A string of important blocks by City defenders after Sarr (81’), Hughes (81’), and Nketiah (84’) have shots. Ruben Dias blocked four shots in this match, a big reason why Palace (4) had fewer shots on target in the game than City (5). Savinho came on for Reijnders (84’) for the final five minutes of full-time.

E. Haaland (Pen) 89' 0-3 

Credit to Savinho for his impact off the bench, winning the penalty, and the work starts from the cross by Hughes into the box, which is cleared. He jumps onto the loose ball despite two Palace players ahead of him and drives forward with the ball to the opposition box.

Haaland steps up to convert. The same technique we saw against Real Madrid. Slight delay at the start. Taking Manchester City to a 3-0 lead to see out the rest of the game in injury time. O’Reilly, Silva, and Haaland came off for Marmoush, Lewis, and Ait-Nouri (90’) for the final minutes.

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Moving Forward

As mentioned at the very beginning, this was an important result for the team to pick up, putting pressure on Arsenal and at a ground that isn’t easy to win at. Especially off the back of playing Real Madrid away from home midweek. The attacking players being decisive in the final third is something we lacked last season. The adjustments in the second half added to the game, turning back towards City. The box defending from the backline has proved to be something they can lean on.

There are gaps out of possession that I think fresher players, returning ones (Rodri), and moves in the window will only continue to improve. Especially with locking teams off to one side in the press. The depth options need to be pushing for a spot in the starting lineup. The team has plenty of areas to get better, but it is moving in the right direction.

This is a great graphic by MarkStats, which highlights the struggles Manchester City had in the first half once they got into the final third, and how comfortable Crystal Palace was sitting in their midblock to cover space and put pressure on when opportunities came up. The Palace chasing game will be one part of this, after conceding the opening goal, and another will be Manchester City not looking to push them back as deep before they play through the lines. Which was much more effective.

One other point to mention, and the comments by Nunes post-match support this, is that the team this season is more comfortable dealing with these different types of games. Especially compared to last season. You felt as if they needed the control in possession, and if that was lost, so were the three points.

There are, of course, improvements to make, but there is a feeling of stability with this backline defending its box now. They are not as vulnerable without the ball, which returning players will continue to improve, and others in the summer. 5W 1D when Manchester City have had less than 50% possession this season. Tied with Bournemouth (6) for most fast-break goals in the PL and leads the league for buildup goals (8).

Adam Wharton was excellent today against Manchester City. Made the most defensive actions. 4/5 long balls completed. 7 ball recoveries. 2/2 aerial duels won. His ability to play one-touch, win second balls in midfield and play the ball through the lines is exceptional, and it’s not surprising to see Manchester City linked to him in the summer. Whether they buy him is another debate, but if they did, Wharton would fit right in.

Speaking of midfielders. Phil Foden (7), Bruno Guimaraes (5), and Morgan Rogers (5) are the only Premier League midfielders to score 5+ goals so far this season. In the most recent run of games, he’s been vital for the team's success with six goals in the last five. Blending the decisive actions in the box and his impact deeper to recover possession and progress the ball is the best version of Phil Foden. He’s also striking up a relationship with Cherki on the pitch, who's provided an assist for three of the last five goals.

Here is the up-to-date T10 for most shot sequence involvements this season. Jeremy Doku is one of the key players for the team this season, who will be missed through injury. O’Reilly is supporting a lot here.

That’s why you must have already got players like Cherki in the squad, able to take a more leading role in his absence. You’d also hope to see Reijnders find a run of form in front of goal; there is no shortage of runs into the box or chances for him. It’s not clicked inside the box yet.

Next up for Manchester City is Brentford (H) in the League Cup, which couldn’t have come any sooner, as a chance for key players to be rested. If not for his injury, Doku would have been one of those. The likes of Nico Gonzalez, Haaland, Foden, Bernardo, and the ideally, the backline, could do with a rest. The full-backs will be tougher to do. Regardless of how Guardiola goes about it, I’d expect a lot of chances, and like Leverkusen, it’s a big opportunity for others to step up. This time, they need to take it.

In the League Cup, Brentford have had some impressive wins against Bournemouth (A) and Aston Villa (H), before beating Grimsby Town (A) in the last round. Only one win in their last five games across all competitions, which was against Burnley. Away from home, this season, Brentford has won 3/10 games.

If you’re looking for more content on the match, I was on the latest 9320 podcast reviewing the match, which you can find linked below. 👇