The first half of the clash between Manchester City and Crystal Palace was nothing short of electric. If you looked away for even a second—you missed something. Within just 45 minutes, we saw four goals, moments of magic, and a few heart-stopping errors.
Palace shocked the home crowd early by netting two quick goals. Eberechi Eze struck first with a calm, clinical finish before Chris Richards added another, capitalizing on a moment of disarray in City's backline. The away side looked fearless.
But as always, City found a way back.
De Bruyne Leads the Comeback
It took a moment of brilliance to light the spark—who else but Kevin De Bruyne? A free-kick bent perfectly into the net off the post brought City back into the fight. Just minutes later, Omar Marmoush took full advantage of a lucky deflection and slotted in the equalizer. Game on.
The Etihad crowd, silent for the first 30 minutes, roared back to life. It was the kind of turnaround that reminds you why football is pure drama.
Lineups, Challenges & Big Misses
Both teams were not at full strength. City missed a few big names due to injuries, forcing Pep to reshuffle the starting XI with young guns stepping up. Rico Lewis and Nico O’Reilly made the cut, while James McAtee got a well-earned start.
On the other side, Palace had to adapt too. Suspensions and last-minute injury worries meant some fresh faces in defense and attack. Still, they held their own against the defending champions.
New Tech, New Drama
The match also saw a debut for semi-automated offside tech—and yes, it was involved in one controversial moment where a Palace goal was ruled out. Love it or hate it, technology is making its presence felt in the game.
Final Whistle (First Half)
With a 2-2 scoreline at halftime, one thing was clear—this was no ordinary league match. Both sides were hungry, fearless, and ready to go the distance. If the second half delivers even half as much drama, fans are in for a wild ride.
