On December 14, 2025, the Premier League staged a high-profile encounter as Manchester City claimed a 3–0 away victory over Crystal Palace, continuing their pursuit of league leaders Arsenal. Erling Haaland was the standout performer, scoring twice to lead City to all three points.
Crystal Palace on the Front Foot but Wasteful
Despite the one-sided scoreline, the match was far from straightforward. Crystal Palace began the game with great attacking intent, creating several dangerous chances.
In the 17th minute, Wharton delivered a perfectly weighted through ball to Pino, who beat the offside trap and went through one-on-one, but his hurried effort struck the crossbar, squandering a golden opportunity.
The hosts continued to apply pressure on City’s defence, yet were unable to find the breakthrough.
Haaland Breaks the Deadlock Before Half-Time
Four minutes before the interval, Manchester City struck decisively. Nunes sent a cross to the far post, where Haaland rose highest to power home a header, giving the visitors a 1–0 lead going into half-time.
Foden Extends City’s Advantage
After the restart, Crystal Palace maintained their attacking approach. Just three minutes into the second half, Wharton unleashed a powerful shot that hit the base of the post and bounced away, once again denying the home side.
As the match progressed, Manchester City gradually took control. In the 69th minute, Cherki broke forward and slipped the ball into the centre for Phil Foden, who calmly finished with a low strike to double City’s lead.
Late Penalty Seals the Win
In the closing stages, City put the result beyond doubt. In the 89th minute, Savinho was brought down inside the penalty area by the Crystal Palace goalkeeper, and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Haaland converted the penalty with confidence, completing his brace and sealing a 3–0 victory.
Post-Match Reactions
Crystal Palace head coach Oliver Glasner felt his side deserved more from the game. “This result feels a little unfair, but we have to accept it,” he said.
“That’s how big matches are often decided by fine margins. We had 16 shots, nine more than Manchester City, yet we lost 0–3. It’s a tough moment, but we will learn from this.”
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, was relieved to secure the win.
“This is always a challenging place to come, Crystal Palace are excellent at using the inside channels in attack and are very well organised defensively. They are a strong team, and their performances this season show that,” he said.
League Standings and Other Results
With the victory, Manchester City moved to 34 points, remaining second in the table, two points behind Arsenal. Aston Villa sit third on 33 points after edging West Ham United 3–2 away from home, with Rogers scoring twice in the second half.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Nottingham Forest thrashed Tottenham Hotspur 3–0, Sunderland defeated Newcastle United 1–0, and Brentford and Leeds United played out a 1–1 draw.
