City Frustrated At Home

Manchester City were dealt another blow in their defence of the Premier League as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace.  

Coming into the game Manchester City had won their previous four games in the league and were heavy favourites to make it five. Crystal Palace had been enjoying their start to the season as they sat in 9th place ahead of Arsenal.  
 
Manchester City dominated the game from the first whistle and had plenty of possession in the opening stages. But it became clear that Palace had come to frustrate and pack their box whenever City attacked, and the champions were reduced to a couple of half-chances without ever really working goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.  
 
City went close from a long-range freekick as Kevin De Bruyne struck a looping effort from 30 yards which hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced away.  
 
Palace had their first effort on target in the 39th minute and it led to the opening goal. A corner floated in saw Gary Cahill out jump John Stones to head the ball to Cenk Tosun who had a free header to guide it past Ederson. It was beginning to look like a game that summed up Man City’s season so far. 
 
VAR then showed its face in the 73rd minute as City were knocking on the door for an equaliser. Referee Graham Scott awarded a penalty for handball against Jairo Riedewald who had his hands raised as a cross came in from the right but the decision was overturned controversially.  
 
Then City’s main man Sergio Aguero set about winning the game on his own as City were level in the 82nd minute. Gabriel Jesus floated a cross into the box and Aguero did brilliantly to hook the ball into the net and score his 250th goal for the club.  
 
Then just five minutes later City thought they had won the game with a brilliant turnaround. Benjamin Mendy whipped in a delightful ball which Aguero directed into the far post with a delicate header.  
 
The job was complete only for Palace to throw up another twist as Wilfried Zaha drove down the left and drilled a ball into the box which Fernandinho could only turn into his net. After seeing the goal Pep Guardiola flopped to the ball in disbelief presumably knowing his side's defence has let him down again.