Another whirlwind day at the Etihad, where Manchester City flexed their attacking muscles in a 5-2 win over Crystal Palace. But despite the heavy scoreline, Palace showed flashes of ruthlessness with a clinical edge that made things nervy for a while early on. Let’s break it down.
? Key Stats
| Stat | Man City | Palace |
|---|---|---|
| xG | 3.35 | 1.25 |
| Shots | 19 | 6 |
| Possession | 70% | 30% |
| Shots on Target | 9 | 3 |
| Dribbles | 32 | 8 |
| Progressive Runs | 21 | 6 |
| Touches in Box | 27 | 8 |
City’s engine purred through the middle, while Palace relied on brief bursts to punch back. And despite the difference in territory and ball time, Palace’s shot accuracy and xG per shot (0.209) made them unexpectedly efficient.
? Match Momentum & xG Breakdown
City’s dominance was never really in question — they racked up 3.4 xG compared to Palace’s 1.3, and the momentum chart paints a familiar picture of wave after wave of light blue pressure.
City opened up with consistent progression from the 20th minute onward, and goals came from across the pitch: De Bruyne (32’), Marmoush (35’), McAtee (56’), and two from inside the box that made the scoreline safe.
Palace’s spikes in momentum were brief but effective — Eze struck early (8’, xG: 0.46) and O’Reilly pulled one back late (78’, xG: 0.16). Efficient finishing in the rare moments they reached City’s goal.
? Shot Efficiency: Ruthless Blues, Clinical Eagles
Manchester City:
19 shots, 5 goals, 3.35 xG
14 of those came inside the box, 5 hit the target, and they blocked another 4. Their finishing was sharp, with a flurry of attempts from central zones just outside the six-yard box.
A clustered shot map with five different goal scorers shows the trademark City chaos in the box.
Crystal Palace:
6 shots, 2 goals, 1.25 xG
It wasn’t quantity, it was quality — only 3 shots on target, but 2 went in. The central shot zone tells the story: both goals came from close range, with their total xG on target reaching 0.85.
Mateta and Eze were sharp when called upon.
? Possession & Tactical Shape
City held 70% of the possession, made nearly double the passes and spent 38:59 on the ball compared to Palace’s 16:58. But the possession wasn’t sterile — their pass map shows a heavily involved midfield triangle with Nico González, De Bruyne, and Kova?i? pulling the strings.
Palace, meanwhile, were compact and direct. Their pass map shows an emphasis on building out from the back with Henderson, Richards, and Lerma funneling the ball through Wharton and Eze. Wide players like Muñoz and Mitchell saw little of the ball — this was about resisting pressure, not playing through it.
? Final Thoughts
City showed why they’re title contenders — total control, layered attack, and clinical finishing. But Crystal Palace? They came to the Etihad with a plan, executed it in moments, and left with two goals from just six shots. That’s the kind of street-smart football that wins hearts, if not points.