Manchester City – Crystal Palace: Eagles Have Wings Clipped, Then Pulled Apart (5-2)

A thrilling first half saw Crystal Palace blitz through the right channel, but Oliver Glasner did not stop the problems developing in his defensive operation. Kevin de Bruyne influenced in a fashion that we used to see more regularly, whilst the younger core at Manchester City showed that the future is still bright for Pep Guardiola.  

Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker.

An additional fifth Champions League spot could spare Pep’s blushes come May, but this is a league where there is little margin for error. Two points separate fourth place to seventh, with City deep in the mix.

The second half of the season has seen Guardiola try to play more directly and inject runners in behind, one of the many problems throughout the start of the campaign. As a result, City have appeared back on track, on a few occasions, but the traditional levels of control are yet to return. Having been at the forefront of tactical evolution for over a decade, Pep is still a reliable coach to find a solution. However, with a vast amount of injury problems, veterans that can’t cut it like they used to and youngsters that are too raw or inexperienced in some positions: it makes guessing what version of City will turn up a difficult task.

Their run-in does face hurdles and Crystal Palace would be no exception. After a difficult start, Oliver Glasner has eventually brought a well-drilled team together: only league leaders Liverpool have accumulated more points in their last ten . . .