City 3 Crystal Palace 0
Dec 20th 2014 45,302
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WH Smith and the City shop
A good team performance once again with glimpses in the second half of beautiful football despite the absence of Aguero, Dzeko and Jovetic. Milner drew the short straw to play up front and he played well chasing down opponents and linking well with his fellow forwards. Star man was David Silva who was back to his best and as a bonus he notched two Messi-like vital goals. Before the game he was presented with an award for being the player with gaining the most international caps while playing for City.- beating the previous holder Colin Bell. It was Silva's 200th game for City.
Yaya Toure scored the third late in the game and played an important part as City dominated the game especially in the second half.
Hart and company kept another clean sheet - the back four helping to keep the visitors at bay for the most part and Zabaleta was in excellent form going forward. Fernandinho is at last showing the good form he displayed last season and Nasri again did well showing several glimpses of his brilliant individual sill.
So City drew level with Chelsea on points and will go top if Stoke beat them by two clear goals on Monday.
Kolarov in for Clichy and Milner as striker were the main changes
Not the greatest of support by Palace fans
Colin Bell holds the silver plate that Silva had just been presented with
Joe Hart saves from Bolasie
Just two minutes on the clock and Nasri shoots just wide following a cross by Zabaleta
So strange to see Milner on his own up front!
Hart manages to clear from McArthur
Hart saves from Jedinak at a corner
Following a set piece situation Campbell misses but it looked well offside but no flag
On 24 minutes a cross from Nasri goes to Silva but his shot is blocked
A few minutes later and a cross from Kolarov ends with Toure shooting over the bar from a good position
Hart forces Campbell wide
Bolasie shoots into the side netting on 36 minutes
Just before half time a great through ball finds Zabaleta who has a great chance and chips the ball over the keeper but.....
..the ball goes just wide and the TV pundits have to talk about the goalless first half.
Referee Dowd has to have a word with Demichelis and Campbell following an off the ball incident
three minutes after the break Zabaleta passes to Silva.....
Silva shoots and ball hits a defender and is deflected up in the air towards goal with keeper Speroni flat on the ground.......
We waited with baited breathe as the ball finally went over the line and at last City score to take the lead
great relief among the players at the team hug!
The North Stand are thankful too as is young Jack near me who shows off his new Silva shirt!
City continue to press but the Palace defence holds firm
Then on 60 minutes Silva hits a Kolarov cross first time to add to City's lead
an excellent finish and it looks like a valuable three points are in the bag
Crystal Palace do get the ball in the net but McArthur is flagged offside and the City supporters in the South Stand let their visiting neighbors know!
After 70 minutes Silva was subbed by Frank Lampard
ten minutes later and City broke away with Milner
he passed to Yaya Toure who cracked the ball past the keeper to make the game safe for City
It was his 5th league goal for City this season
on 88 minutes we had a third sub and on came Scott Sinclair - gosh - what a shock that was
team
Hart 7: Zabaleta 8, Demichelis 7, Mangala 7, Kolarov 7: Yaya Toure 7.5, Fernandinho 7.5. Navas 6.5, Silva 9 ( Lampard) Nasri 7.5 (Sinclair) Milner 7.5 (Fernando)
