Guaita and the posts frustrate a City that already fears for the lead

Vicente Guaita and the posts frustrated Manchester City, whose leadership in the Premier League is now in serious jeopardy after crashing once again against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park (0-0). Although Pep Guardiola’s team has a four-point lead with 9 games to go, Liverpool, with one game less played, can already get closer to one if they beat Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday.

Patrick Vieira’s Palace, which already won at the Etihad in the first round (0-2), is confirmed as the rival, Big Six aside, against which Guardiola has yielded the most points (12) in 12 league games since his arrival at City in 2016.

Good City in the first part

City dominated the match with their usual game of possession and the fluidity necessary to generate several clear chances and go into the break ahead. Crystal Palace based their strategy on taking advantage of stealing the ball to go on the attack quickly with direct football and, above all, at the beginning they gave a feeling of danger with some arrivals from Olise, Mateta and Zaha.

A shot by Kevin de Bruyne that Vicente Guaita rejected gave Bernardo Silva the chance to score but the Portuguese lost control when he wanted to cut the Valencian to score at will (14′).

Cancel, see you later

Ruyad Mahrez, City’s most active attacker down the right wing, had two chances that Guaita frustrated again (22′ and 32′). The goalkeeper was also very attentive to get a magical shot from De Bruyne (26′), but in the moments of greatest siege of City it was Joao Cancelo who was closest to scoring with a whiplash from outside the area that repelled the post (27 ‘). In the rebound Aymeric Laporte, alone, shot high.

In the second half City insisted, although with less fresh ideas against a Palace with little start. However, the leader had a couple of good opportunities in which the goal continued to resist him.

De Bruyne, again to the post

Again the post, in a cross shot by De Bruyne after receiving from Grealish, and Guaita, on the rebound, taking Mahrez’s whiplash, prevented it in the 57th minute. And Bernardo Silva, one meter from the goal, deflected a ball too far from the by-line that once again put in a Grealish that went further (71′) in the face of desperation on the wing by Guardiola, putting his hands to his head.

Palace, located in the middle of the table, resisted and even had two options in the final moments against an already nervous and tired City that sees how revalidating the Premier has made it more difficult than ever.