A Wilfried Zaha inspired Crystal Palace side on Sunday, ended Manchester City’s incredible 19 game winning streak in the Premier League, as both teams played out an entertaining goalless draw in Selhurst Park.
Manchester City as usual enjoyed a lion share of the ball but were indeed lucky to have left South London with a point for their efforts. Roy Hodgson’s charges, who have effectively put their early season nightmarish run to bed, came into the game knowing a defeat to a City side that have won 19 games out of twenty scoring 61 goals in the process, will not be a bad result. But to their credit, they refused to be intimidated by the pedigree of their opponents. While they had only 25 percent of the ball as opposed to City’s 75 percent, the effectiveness of their counterattack ensured City did not have another easy win.
Former Manchester United winger, Wilfred Zaha, who has a knack for showing up when it matters most with his goal in the shock 2:1 win over Chelsea a case in point, produced another man of the match display as he showed why he is indispensable to this Palace team. The former England youth player who now plays for the Ivory Coast National Team, was behind every good thing that palace did, with his direct running and astonishing close control making him a thorn in City’s defence all day. He won a dramatic penalty in the 90th minute when Raheem Sterling thoughtlessly pulled him down in City’s penalty area. Striker, Luka Mililojevic, failed to get the spot kick past City’s goal keeper, Ederson, who saved with his legs to ensure Manchester City’s unbeaten run still continues.
Beyond the dropped two points,which is unlikely to hurt much as City are still a whooping 14 points above second placed Chelsea, City’s gaffer, Pep Guardiola, faces the prospect of being without two of his influential starters as Brazilian forward, Gabriel Jesus, and Belgian playmaker, Kevin De Bruyne, both pulled up with injuries in the game.
Gabriel Jesus was the first casualty as he lasted for only 23 minutes before pulling up with what looked like a knee problem.The Brazil International could barely hold back the tears as he left the pitch with Sergio Aguero coming on.
More misery was to arrive for City in closing stages of the game when De Bruyne was caught by a foul challenge from Jason Puncheon. Puncheon was duly booked, but that was as good as it got for City as both players were stretchered off.
Guardiola told BT Sport after the game that the Brazil forward could be out for “maybe one month or two months” but said he was awaiting news on De Bruyne.