Finding a way
Manchester City haven't always enjoyed their visits to this isolated part of the capital. There have been some grinds in south London for them over the years and Crystal Palace have posed a threat at the Etihad too.
On Saturday they never actually looked like scoring, but for then 75 minutes neither did City. It was proof in point of why this team is yet to produce a winning run longer than three games in the Premier League.
But for better or worse they found a way in this game. Kind of. In truth, it owed an awful lot to a lackadaisical bit of play from Michael Olise. Palace switched off to a City short corner and the winger was unable to stop himself as he tried to close down the suddenly-free Ilkay Gundogan, bringing him down for a penalty that would have infuriated Patrick Vieira.
READ MORE: City player ratings vs Crystal Palace
But the dogged, often dour, 1-0 win might have just built a little more belief in the City ranks. It was a performance and a team selection that hinted at why they won't win the league, but a result that suggested why they just might.
Pep Guardiola probably felt he had little option to play four centre-backs in this team and John Stones and Nathan Ake have played as full-backs this season, but at times it felt like a team with four central defenders on the pitch. There weren't enough options, not enough runs from deep, not enough speed and incision.
They came away with three points, however, and maybe the sense that things are beginning to fall into place. They will need to play a lot better to extend this winning run much further, but if Arsenal's comeback against Bournemouth was evidence of why they might win the league, then this was a case in point as to why it might be City. The Gunners are going for chaos. City are aiming for control.
Alvarez solutions
If it was a surprise to see Phil Foden make way for Julian Alvarez, it certainly wasn't a shock to see the Argentine come on. The World Cup winner is increasingly being seen as someone who can unlock something within this side.
He was initially introduced as a straight swap for Foden but was soon drifting infield. Having spent around a dozen minutes trying to find an opening down the right, he was soon switched centrally. Guardiola waved Gundogan over to relay some detailed instructions, before Gundogan told Alvarez he was to move behind Haaland, with Stones offering the width on the right.
Alvarez has a knack of making things happen and another body in front of the Palace defence did help to drive them back and create a little bit of chaos.
The 23-year-old is certainly more involved for City than Haaland at the moment, but there remains a reliance on the Premier League's top scorer for goals. But having Alvarez on hand to try and unlock games is proving a reliable option for Guardiola.
A congested centre
This weekend's football narrative has been dominated by trenchant lines on the left and right, but City found the midfield ground particularly congested at Selhurst Park.
Palace had scored just five goals in 10 games going into this fixture but they hadn't been conceding many and you could see why that was the case. The gaps between their back four and midfield three were wafer thin and while Rodri often had a bit of time, finding balls into Gundogan, Bernardo Silva or Haaland was very difficult.
The room was either out wide or required oodles of patience and movement. One of the best chances they created in the first half came when Nathan Ake slipped into an inside-left position and was found by combinations from Rodri and Bernardo. Haaland should have buried the cross, but sent it over.
Foden's moments
Foden was probably a little unfortunate to go off just before the hour mark in this game, but then he has had ankle issues recently and he was kicked a couple of times in that area in the first half.
It was Foden who looked the most likely City player to make something happen in that period. He produced one superb jinking run from his left-wing position before being crowded out and winning a corner. From that attack he turned brilliantly on the inside-right channel and should probably have taken the shot on rather than squaring it.
His final act was to sting the palms of Vicente Guaita with a free-kick on the edge of the box. That was Foden's chance to register a goal for a fourth successive game, something he is still yet to achieve, but this was another decent display
Walker's position
Guardiola was fairly supportive of Kyle Walker in his press conference on Friday but it still wasn't a huge surprise to see the full-back on the bench at Selhurst Park.
He was one of the last players to leave the coach when it arrived at the ground after a difficult week off the pitch for the 32-year-old. It was the third time in four games that he had started on the bench but at Bournemouth and Bristol City it felt like it was a case of being rested.
He had started five successive games before that, recovering from a post-World Cup slump, but at a team when the Blues really need him, he was left out in favour of a fourth central defender in the back four.
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