Three things we learned – Crystal Palace 0-3 Manchester City

Manchester Metropolis ran out as comfy winners in opposition to Crystal Palace to use strain to Arsenal on the high of the Premier League desk.

Erling Haaland scored twice and Phil Foden netted as soon as for Metropolis, who managed proceedings from begin to end.

Regardless of having Ismailla Sarr and Jean-Phillipe Mateta out there after damage, the hosts struggled to supply a lot of an offensive menace notably after the break.

Haaland had given Metropolis the lead earlier than half time with a strong header from an excellent Matheus Nunes cross, earlier than Foden doubled the lead with a crisp strike from the sting of the field after great work from Rayan Cherki.

The Norwegian striker accomplished the rout in damage time as he despatched Dean Henderson the fallacious means from the penalty spot, after Savinho was fouled when by way of on objective.

The win at Selhurst Park strikes Metropolis to inside two factors of leaders Arsenal, and means Palace missed the chance to maneuver into the highest 4.

Listed below are three issues we realized as Metropolis took all three factors in London:

The assault can operate with out Doku

It was a giant blow to see Jeremy Doku not even on the bench when the lineups dropped, however you may’t actually say Metropolis missed him at any level after the primary objective was scored.

The primary half arrange was odd, with Josko Gvardiol at left centre again pushing actually excessive and Nico Gonzalez filling in for him. Matheus Nunes sat deep, leaving Cherki to carry width on the proper hand aspect. Hugging the touchline is just not the Frenchman’s recreation in any respect.

However after the primary objective, there was extra fluidity of motion with Cherki, Foden, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders all interchanging behind Haaland up entrance.

Cherki and Foden mixed for the second objective, while substitute Savinho received the penalty very properly for the third and closing objective of the sport.

Doku will likely be sorely missed if his damage is to be something critical, however the remainder of the attacking expertise that Metropolis make use of is sweet sufficient to compensate for his absence.

Relaxation is required throughout the following two video games

However this group can’t carry on taking part in as typically as it’s.

Each participant from the XI that began yesterday has additionally began most of Metropolis’s video games from the resumption of play after the worldwide break.

The likes of Savinho, Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb and Abdukodir Khusanov have hardly had a glance in, and Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri received’t for one more six weeks as they go to characterize Egypt and Algeria respectively on the Africa Cup of Nations.

The subsequent two video games are each on the Etihad Stadium in opposition to opposition that Metropolis needs to be anticipated to beat; Brentford within the Carabao Cup quarter closing and West Ham United within the league.

I anticipate these video games will likely be used to offer most, if not all, of the primary group gamers an opportunity to relaxation forward of the busy Christmas and new yr interval.

We’re not reliant on Haaland – however him scoring objectives helps

Again firstly of the season if Haaland wasn’t firing, it seemed tough to see the place Metropolis would possibly seize their objectives from.

As it’s now, there are many candidates.

Foden is joint third within the Premier League scoring charts after one more objective in opposition to Palace. Doku has taken a step up and while Cherki isn’t offering objectives, he’s actually chipping in because the Premier League’s high assister to date this season.

Reijnders has the flexibility to contribute extra however clearly wants time to settle after a surprising debut, while each centre backs have scored just a few objectives just lately too.

And naturally, Haaland is constant to attain at an astonishing degree. 36 objectives for membership and nation earlier than Christmas is unprecedented in case your identify isn’t Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, and proper now, he’s taking part in at their degree.

While he retains scoring and the opposite attackers keep it up supporting him, there’s no purpose why Metropolis can’t go on to win the most important trophies this season.