How Pep Guardiola must hate Crystal Palace.
Not only did the Eagles have the temerity to win at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season, they have now forced the Premier League title race down to the wire.
Palace claimed a point they were more than worthy of with a performance forged from blood, sweat and tears.
Across the field they fought remarkably. Conor Gallagher and Cheikhou Kouyate unyielding in midfield, Tyrick Mitchell and Nathaniel Clyne unfazed by the relentless City attacking waves.
This ground has already been the site of one famous title collapse in recent years, but this time all those from Liverpool would have been beaming as they watched the Eagles put the stoppers on Manchester City.
The Selhurst Park pitch had been heavily watered ahead of kick-off, trying every trick to pull off another surprise.
Palace had the relentless backing of the Holmesdale End in their mission upset the odds once more, but against the drums of the home fans it was the Premier League leaders setting the early rhythm.
The visitors may have been conducting play but Crystal Palace were happy to play the role of disruptors, posing plenty of questions on the break.
They could have taken the lead when Kyle Walker was caught in possession under pressure from Wilfried Zaha.
The loose ball fell to Jean-Philippe Mateta, who delayed before playing in Michael Olise. The winger has been excellent in south London this season but sent this chance wide of the far post.
It wasn’t just Palace missing chances though. Bernardo Silva managed to carry the ball out of play instead of converting from close range after Vicente Guaita - superb throughout - had spilled a Kevin de Bruyne shot to the feet of the Portuguese.
Palace were alert to the space in behind as Mateta drove forward with a succession of step-overs before seeing his cross turned behind for a corner. Moments later the Frenchman had a chance to fire the Eagles ahead after some quick thinking by Tyrick Mitchell to get the hosts forward, but the striker miscued wide.
After being let off the hook by Mateta, City moved to ratchet up the pressure. Guaita saved well from Kevin De Bruyne’s instinctive flick as he met Joao Cancelo’s ball over the top before the City full-back smashed an effort against the post from more than 30-yards, the follow up blazed over an open goal by Aymeric Laporte.
City were starting to drag a well-drilled Palace defence around for the first time and Guaita was called upon again as he stopped a Riyad Mahrez’s low shot.
Vieira’s side remained resolute under such pressure. Gallagher was dogged in midfield and happy to take a kicking to get his side some respite and further forward from free-kicks won in the middle.
City’s possession ticked up to 74 per cent just before the break but every time the Premier League leaders pushed forward in the first-half, Palace had an answer. Whether it was the glove of Guaita or Kouyate sliding to block a Phil Foden cross, someone was there.
Kouyate could have made his mark at the other end five minutes into the second half but could not get a proper connection on Marc Guehi’s header over the back and could only glance wide.
Kouyate and Gallagher were the embodiment of this Palace performance, the latter nicking the ball off a white City shirt on the edge of his own box before driving the length of the pitch and winning a free-kick from Jack Grealish.
City had not got going since the break but can turn things on in a flash, and looked to have done just that when De Bruyne found space behind and fired across goal, only to watch it strike the upright and fall to Mahrez, who was denied superbly as Guaita scrambled up from the floor to tip the powerful strike over.
With every City chance that was snuffed out or passed up the drum beat grew louder from the Holmesdale behind Ederson’s goal.
Two big chances for #MCFC 🤯 pic.twitter.com/KqYg7X4i18
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 14, 2022
As confidence rose within the Palace ranks, anguished looks continued to flash across the faces of City players, the next near miss coming when Grealish flashed a cross in for Foden who got a toe to it but poked wide from two yards out.
Palace continued to harry Guardiola’s side and a challenge from Nathaniel Clyne, charging and dispossessing Cancelo in his own half had had his manager applauding and most of Selhurst Park on its feet, all four sides rising for a chorus of “Vieira’s red and blue army”.
The chants could have gotten even louder had Zaha’s shot not been straight at Ederson or Gallagher’s injury time effort snuck under the bar instead of floating over.
A point though was enough to send the Palace support into raptures, and how it deserved to be celebrated. The cheers on Merseyside would have been just as loud.
