De Bruyne Masterclass Fuels City’s Top-Four Surge

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Manchester City Produce Stunning Comeback to Overpower Crystal Palace 5-2 at the Etihad

Manchester City pulled off a sensational comeback to beat Crystal Palace 5-2 at the Etihad Stadium, moving into fourth place in the Premier League and reigniting their momentum heading into the season's crucial final stretch.

The champions were stunned early as Crystal Palace raced to a 2-0 lead inside 21 minutes, with goals from Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards putting the visitors in firm control. Palace even had a third goal chalked off for a marginal offside call, a moment that would prove pivotal in the narrative of the game.

City responded in emphatic fashion, led by a vintage performance from their talismanic captain, Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian maestro curled in a sublime free kick just after the half-hour mark to halve the deficit, before playing a key role in Omar Marmoush’s quick-fire equaliser just minutes later.

De Bruyne continued to dictate proceedings in the second half, assisting Mateo Kovačić’s goal that completed the turnaround just two minutes after the restart. From there, City never looked back.

James McAtee added a fourth after brilliantly latching onto a sensational long ball from goalkeeper Ederson, who remarkably notched his fourth Premier League assist of the season—an astounding feat for a shot-stopper. However, the Brazilian’s afternoon ended prematurely as he was forced off with a groin issue, the only sour note in an otherwise dominant display.

Substitute O’Reilly put the finishing touch on a statement win, scoring City’s fifth goal late on. The hosts’ superiority was underscored by a commanding expected goals (xG) tally of 3.63 compared to Palace’s 2.07.

The match also carried historical significance:

• It marked the eighth time City have won a Premier League game after trailing by two or more goals, a feat only bettered by Manchester United (14) and Tottenham Hotspur (9).

• For Crystal Palace, it was the first time since August 2022—also against City at the Etihad—that they’ve lost a Premier League game after leading by two or more goals.

• City have now scored 5+ goals in a Premier League match on 63 occasions, more than any other team in the competition’s history, with 39 of those coming under Pep Guardiola.

With the Champions League and FA Cup still in their sights, this thrilling comeback could be just the spark City need to finish the season strong.