This match kicked off twenty
minutes after Chelsea reinvigorated Manchester City’s title bid with a surprise
0 – 2 victory at Anfield against Liverpool. As a result it took a mere four
minutes from kick off for City to take the lead knowing their fate is in their
own hands, win their last four games and they will be Champions. As for Crystal
Palace survival was assured with three wins in a week and after five
consecutive wins their seasons’ objectives was achieved, but against Manchester
City they were caught cold early on Edin Dzeko heading home a Yaya Toure cross
on just four minutes.
After such a good season it
is slightly unfair to say Crystal Palace was on the beach after all with
survival assured their job this campaign was done. Yet a combination of
Manchester City’s riches and talented squad and their urgency to capitalise on
the earlier result did Liverpool no favours as Crystal Palace could not live
with Manchester City’s early pace or fast start. Dzeko got between Dann and
Mariappa exploiting the freedom of the penalty area to convert Yaya Toure’s
cross.
Yaya Toure controlled the game
in midfield as new title favourites City outclassed a tired Palace side that
never recaptured the heights of their victories against Chelsea and Everton.
Crystal Palace was lethargic, unable to live with the calm anchoring control in
midfield given to city by Javi Garcia or Vincent Kompany at the back. City
needing the win to keep their title chances on track had the game sown up two
minutes from halftime on forty three minutes when Toure swapped passes with
Nasri to curl a shot past Speroni into the top corner after slipping past
Delaney.
Crystal Palace’s race for
this season looks run. Manchester City controlled the game and City’s
supporters celebrated the victory vigorously and while Palace offered up a few
corners while closing the back door in the second half they never really got
close to City’s level of performance. Effort and commitment was there as always
from Palace as it has been all season under Pulis but Palace was on the back
foot from the start but come the end Palace knew they had nothing riding on the
match and could just play the match knowing safety was assured.
Liverpool visit Selhurst Park
next Monday night keen to banish the memories of Chelsea and force City and
Chelsea to play for the title right to the end of the season. The motivation
for Crystal Palace is they will be performing under lights and they will want
to give their excellent home campaign this season a proper send off in front of
a passionate home support. Also in such a competitive league and in front of a
global television audience against Liverpool Palace will want to do themselves
justice profiling their style of play to a wider audience whilst maintaining
competitive integrity in the league.
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