n8rngtd.topManchester City staged an excellent comeback from two goals down to seal a 5-2 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League this afternoon.
When Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards put the away side 2-0 up, it looked as though it was going to be another poor result for the Etihad side in the top flight.
They rebounded wonderfully well to seal all three points and they remain fourth in the table at the time of writing as they chase a Champions League spot next season.
All the talk this week was on Kevin De Bruyne finally departing City, and he was outstanding against Palace.
Kevin De Bruyne’s stats vs Crystal Palace
The Belgian won’t go out winning another league title, but he is doing his best to make sure City finish in the top four.
Against Palace, he was pushed into a more advanced role and not only scored, but he also grabbed an assist during the tie.
De Bruyne also registered six total shots, missed two big chances, made four key passes and hit the woodwork in what was an energetic display in Manchester.
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Manchester City vs Crystal Palace – Key Statistics |
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|---|---|
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Metric |
Highest-ranked |
|
Accurate passes |
Rúben Dias (105) |
|
Key passes |
Kevin De Bruyne (4) |
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Tackles |
Chris Richards and Nico Gonzalez (4) |
|
Ground duels won |
Daniel Munoz and Nico Gonzalez (5) |
|
Shots on target |
Omar Marmoush (3) |
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Via Sofascore |
|
He might be advancing in age, but there is no doubt that when he is at his peak, few come close to performing like this. That’s for sure.
Pep Guardiola wasn’t relying on him solely, however, as there was a young talent making his first Premier League start for the club who shone today.
Man City shown why they don't need Gibbs-White
It appears as though City are keen on replacing De Bruyne with Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White this summer.
Despite registering 14 goal contributions this season, Forest have reportedly slapped a £100m price tag on the attacking midfielder.
Do they really need him? James McAtee was superb this afternoon at the Etihad. On his first ever league start for the club, he scored a delightful goal in the second half along with creating two big chances and making two key passes throughout the game.
The youngster may have been deployed on the right flank against Palace, but he is at home in the number ten slot, playing there on numerous occasions this season to excellent effect.
McAtee’s maturity is getting better with each game. He only lost possession seven times during the clash, while making one tackle and winning two ground duels.
Chief Manchester City writer for the Manchester Evening News, Simon Bajkowski, gave the Englishman a match rating of 7/10, stating that he ‘made a lot happen’ when he was on the pitch.
Guardiola will need to bring in another big-name signing or two this summer to please the supporters and give the club a shot at winning another league title.
Is spending around £100m on Gibbs-White the right option, however? Especially with McAtee proving today that he can step up when it matters most.
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By
Tom Cunningham
Apr 11, 2025