Erling Haaland scored twice to help Manchester City dispatch Crystal Palace and maintain the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal.
City would have been eyeing top spot on Saturday night when Wolves grabbed a late equaliser at Arsenal but Yerson Mosquera’s injury-time own goal provided Mikel Arteta’s men with much-needed relief.
City did their job in the capital but did not have it all their own way as Palace carved out the best opportunity early on – Yeremy Pino breaking the offside trap from Adam Wharton’s dinked pass but only managing to strike the crossbar when one-on-one with Gianluigi Donnarumma.
The hosts were creating chances without being able to apply the finishing touch and that lack of cutting edge proved costly as Matheus Nunes swung in a cross to the back post for Haaland to thump home a header four minutes before half-time.
England international Wharton has not scored for Palace since joining from Blackburn in February 2024 but came close to breaking his duck at the start of the second period when a rasping strike rattled the foot of the post.
Tijjani Reijnders’ low drive was kept out by Dean Henderson before Phil Foden drove home a delightful finish and Haaland added a third late on from the penalty spot after Savinho was brought down by the Palace goalkeeper.
