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Crystal Palace’s Jason Puncheon leaves Manchester City in disarray Crystal Palace’s Jason Puncheon leaves Manchester City in disarray
(about 1 hour later)
Manchester City must privately have known the game had been up for a while, but this was dismal confirmation their title defence has been curtailed, buried for good in the joyous din that erupted in this corner of south London. Manuel Pellegrini’s team are nine points from Chelsea and will limp into Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford after three successive away league defeats and languishing in fourth. The manager is in denial if he thinks his own position will not come under more scrutiny than ever in the weeks ahead.Manchester City must privately have known the game had been up for a while, but this was dismal confirmation their title defence has been curtailed, buried for good in the joyous din that erupted in this corner of south London. Manuel Pellegrini’s team are nine points from Chelsea and will limp into Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford after three successive away league defeats and languishing in fourth. The manager is in denial if he thinks his own position will not come under more scrutiny than ever in the weeks ahead.
That their ambitions have now in effect switched from hoisting silverware to securing an automatic Champions League place, without the need for a qualifying round in August, is damning. Yet that is the grim reality. This campaign has unravelled and, while they could justifiably depart here bemoaning the non-award of a second half penalty and even disputing the validity of Crystal Palace’s opening goal, this was all too frenzied and untidy for comfort. The visitors pummelled 22 shots from their monopoly of possession but they ended up beaten by “diligence, character, resilience”, qualities rattled off by Alan Pardew through a deadpan that suggested he had been left exhausted even in victory. That their ambitions have now in effect switched from hoisting silverware to securing an automatic Champions League place, without the need for a qualifying round in August, is damning. Yet that is the grim reality. This campaign has unravelled and, while they could justifiably depart here bemoaning the non-award of a second-half penalty and even disputing the validity of Crystal Palace’s opening goal, this was all too frenzied and untidy for comfort. The visitors pummelled 22 shots from their monopoly of possession but they ended up beaten by “diligence, character, resilience”, qualities rattled off by Alan Pardew through a deadpan that suggested he had been left exhausted even in victory.
He could afford to admire the displays delivered by his strong-arm centre-halves, excellent goalkeeper, workaholic midfield and a centre-forward in Glenn Murray whose nomadic career has taken in spells from Workington to Wilmington Hammerheads, Barrow to Brighton. Vincent Kompany and Martín Demichelis never truly nullified his nuisance value, outwitted as they were by canny centre-forward play. A fifth goal in as many top-flight appearances was window dressing to Murray’s all-round display. He also claimed the free-kick from Fernandinho from which Jason Puncheon doubled the hosts lead early in the second half but, deep down, City will know they should not be made to feel diminished by 31-year-old journeymen enjoying Indian summers to careers spent largely in the lower divisions. He could afford to admire the displays delivered by his strong-arm centre-halves, excellent goalkeeper, workaholic midfield and a centre-forward in Glenn Murray whose nomadic career has taken in spells from Workington to Wilmington Hammerheads, Barrow to Brighton. Vincent Kompany and Martín Demichelis never truly nullified his nuisance value, outwitted as they were by canny centre-forward play.
This, like the defeat to Burnley in their previous Premier League trip, may end up illustrating the scale of reinvigoration required in the summer ahead. Only two of City’s out-field starters here were under 29 and one of those, Vincent Kompany, chalks up that landmark on Friday. They were busy enough in possession, pinging their passes with menace around the Palace penalty area, but only four of that huge tally of shots tested Speroni. One he blocked from David Silva with his shoulder, another from Sergio Agüero with his outstretched right hand. James McArthur hacked another from Fernandinho away from under the crossbar, and Murray had choked the midfielder’s earlier effort unnoticed with his right hand. A fifth goal in as many top-flight appearances was window dressing to Murray’s all-round display. He also claimed the free-kick from Fernandinho from which Jason Puncheon doubled the hosts lead early in the second half but, deep down, City will know they should not be made to feel diminished by 31-year-old journeymen enjoying Indian summers to careers spent largely in the lower divisions.
Yet it still felt vaguely surprising when Yaya Touré shrugged himself from his own fitful display – occasionally at his brutish best, just as often rather sluggish, and nothing like the player who rampaged in this arena as City all but claimed the title last April – to fizz in a riposte 12 minutes from time, but there was to be no relief at the end. Pellegrini mumbled through his post-match assessments, questioning how his team had lost. “But with the way we played, we must win this game,” he insisted as if trying to convince himself. He was right in the sense there were periods when Palace creaked under the weight of the pressure, sitting so deep the penalty area was starved of oxygen, but it still felt a familiar kind of City loss. Turf Moor and Selhurst Park have claimed six points from their title defence. This, like the defeat to Burnley in their previous Premier League trip, may end up illustrating the scale of reinvigoration required in the summer ahead. Only two of City’s outfield starters here were under 29 and one of those, Kompany, chalks up that landmark on Friday. They were busy enough in possession, pinging their passes with menace around the Palace penalty area, but only four of that huge tally of shots tested Julián Speroni. One he blocked from David Silva with his shoulder, another from Sergio Agüero with his outstretched right hand. James McArthur hacked another from Fernandinho away from under the crossbar, and Murray had choked the midfielder’s earlier effort with his right hand, unnoticed by the referee.
Yet it still felt vaguely surprising when Yaya Touré shrugged himself from his own fitful display – occasionally at his brutish best, just as often rather sluggish, and nothing like the player who rampaged in this arena as City all but claimed the title last April – to fizz in a riposte 12 minutes from time, but there was to be no relief at the end. Pellegrini mumbled through his post-match assessments, questioning how his team had lost. “But with the way we played, we must win this game,” he insisted as if trying to convince himself.
He was right in the sense there were periods when Palace creaked under the weight of the pressure, sitting so deep the penalty area was starved of oxygen, but it still felt a familiar kind of City loss. Turf Moor and Selhurst Park have claimed six points from their title defence.
Palace can rejoice, now convinced of safety, at the prospect of ruffling feathers at this level again next term. Pardew’s impact has been staggering. Tony Pulis inherited a more crestfallen team last season but the new incumbent took over a side in the bottom three and has secured 22 points from 11 matches. This was a different kind of win to savour, with the free-spirited wingers Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie reserving their best work for defence. They had plucked the lead from incessant City pressure, Joel Ward lofting the ball towards the penalty area for Joe Ledley to flick on and Scott Dann to volley at goal. Joe Hart kept that shot out but Murray tapped in, the visitors’ vociferous complaints thereafter centring on whether Dann had been offside.Palace can rejoice, now convinced of safety, at the prospect of ruffling feathers at this level again next term. Pardew’s impact has been staggering. Tony Pulis inherited a more crestfallen team last season but the new incumbent took over a side in the bottom three and has secured 22 points from 11 matches. This was a different kind of win to savour, with the free-spirited wingers Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie reserving their best work for defence. They had plucked the lead from incessant City pressure, Joel Ward lofting the ball towards the penalty area for Joe Ledley to flick on and Scott Dann to volley at goal. Joe Hart kept that shot out but Murray tapped in, the visitors’ vociferous complaints thereafter centring on whether Dann had been offside.
Touré’s dopy reaction at a defensive wall early in the second half arguably helped Puncheon curl in a glorious second. “That was about resilience and good organisation,” added Pardew, “with great character in the team. We got a bit of luck and there were some scary moments … about 23 of them, I counted. But we managed to see it through. It was our night.” It has not been City’s season.Touré’s dopy reaction at a defensive wall early in the second half arguably helped Puncheon curl in a glorious second. “That was about resilience and good organisation,” added Pardew, “with great character in the team. We got a bit of luck and there were some scary moments … about 23 of them, I counted. But we managed to see it through. It was our night.” It has not been City’s season.