Liverpool fans react as Palace beat Man City

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Premier League champions Manchester City suffered a humbling 3-2 loss at home to Crystal Palace which leaves championship rivals Liverpool four points clear in the race for this season’s prize.

Pep Guardiola’s men, who have enjoyed an outstanding year, welcomed Palace for their final home match of 2018 but would be in for a surprise. İlkay Gündoğan, starting a second consecutive game in City’s midfield, put the hosts in front but moments later Jeffrey Schlupp leveled proceedings.

From that moment Palace started to play out a Christmas miracle. Andros Townsend would score a contender for goal of the season before Luka Milivojevic stretched their lead from the spot. Kevin De Bruyne, coming off the bench, pulled one back in the final 10 minutes but it was nothing more than a consolation.

It was only their second league defeat at the Etihad Stadium this year which leaves Liverpool supporters merry. As with every game of football, there are winners and losers, and this meeting was no exception.

Winner: Andros Townsend

Heading into his 100th appearance for Palace no one could have envisaged Townsend celebrating the occasion with a goal (an early contender for this season’s best).

The south Londoners, in their previous five visits to City have failed to score, but two minutes before his moment teammate Jeffrey Schlupp became the first Palace player since Darren Powell in 2005 to score past the Mancunian club away from home.

With their tails up Palace were determined to not give City an inch and following a set-piece, the ball fell to Townsend, catching it cleanly the ball flew past a rooted Ederson. It was only his 10th goal for the club and no doubt the sweetest one he struck.

Loser: City’s defence

Often going unnoticed last season was how well City defended. For a manager hellbent on having total control it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Pep Guardiola values clean sheets. However, so far during this campaign, it’s been anything but. City are free scoring but they’re finding it difficult to keep the ball out of their own goal.

Across their opening 18 league outings they’ve conceded in 10 of those games and Guardiola’s men have now failed to keep a clean sheet in five consecutive home matches.

What’s concerning must be individual mistakes creeping into their game. Aymeric Laporte, who’s enjoying a solid run, was easily bamboozled by Wilfried Zaha in the build-up to Schlupp’s equaliser. Townsend’s stunner moments later was only the second time in their last 25 home league games City conceded at least two goals.

Winner: Luka Milivojevic

City, in their record-breaking 2017/18 campaign, lost just twice. Liverpool, who they are battling for this season’s Premier League crown, inflicted Guardiola’s side with their first defeat but it really should have been Palace.

Two games earlier City were held to a goalless draw at Selhurst Park, the game ended a run of 18 consecutive victories, but they were fortunate to leave with a point. Deep into stoppage time Roy Hodgson’s side were handed a penalty, up stepped midfielder Luka Milivojevic, but he failed to convert.

Fast-forward nearly a year later and the Serbian international, less than 10 minutes into the second half, was given an opportunity to make amends from 12 yards and this time he wasn’t going to let his side down.

Loser: Kyle Walker

The reason for Palace’s spot kick? A moment of madness from Kyle Walker.

Up until that point the England international was in truth not having a great match his rash challenge on Max Meyer exacerbated a difficult game for the full-back.

Great going forward, particualty when operating as a wing-back, it only highlights what some feels is a weakness of his.

Winner: Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Crystal Palace’s youth academy is well known. The latest graduate on his way to stardom is Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

The 21-year-old Londoner broke through last season under Hodgson and is now one of the first names on his team sheet when available.

Already in a young career there have been notable highlights with this match surely near the top. Wan-Bissaka, a future England right-back, curbed his attacking enthusiasm for a solid defensive display: nothing illustrated this steely determination more than winning each of his seven attempted tackles.

Loser: City’s supremacy over those outside ‘top six’

Manchester City rarely lose to anyone outside England’s now established ‘top six’ clubs these days more so at home.

You have to go back to January 2017 for the last time a club that was not Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United or Spurs took all three points against Guardiola’s men.

Everton, who humbled them 4-0 at Goodison Park, were that side. Before them Southampton (May 2016) and Leicester City (February 2016) the latter coming at home.

Winner: Liverpool

Going into this week’s action Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said only City can stop City from retaining their Premier League crown. The Reds, who are chasing a first English championship since 1990, have been relentless of late but still they’ve not been given any room to breathe.

That is until now. Liverpool’s win over Wolves, a day before, meant they are this season’s Christmas number one. It also saw them stretch their lead atop of the table to four points.

Not the biggest margin but it means, theoretically, if they win their remaining games (easier said than done) then Klopp will end a 28-year drought. But for now Liverpool supporters are delighted with their early Christmas present.

 

The post Key winners & losers as Palace beat Man City to put Liverpool 4 points clear at top appeared first on Squawka News.



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