Andros Townsend volleyed home to give Crystal Palace the lead

Andros Townsend smashed home a sublime 30-yard volley as Crystal Palace stunned Manchester City to leave Liverpool four points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Palace caused the biggest shock of the campaign to date by claiming their first win at City for exactly 28 years to end the defending champions' 100% home record in the top flight this season.
City's form at Etihad Stadium this season - they had scored an average of three goals a game in nine successive league victories - had made it a fortress, but its walls came crumbling down in spectacular fashion.


The game appeared to be following a familiar script when Ilkay Gundogan ghosted into the box to head City into the lead from Fabian Delph's cross, but the events of the next eight minutes left the home fans in stunned silence.
First, Jeffrey Schlupp equalised with a fizzing angled drive into the bottom corner after meeting James McArthur's pass on the edge of the area. Then Townsend gave the visitors the lead with a contender for goal of the season, a fabulous volley after Bernardo Silva half-cleared a free-kick.
City boss Pep Guardiola - who had only lost two other league games here since he took charge in the summer of 2016 - sent on club record goalscorer Sergio Aguero after the break.
The home fans, and everyone else present, anticipated a fightback but Palace quickly scored again - this time from the spot. Townsend headed Aaron Wan-Bissaka's cross against the post, Kyle Walker fouled Max Meyer as he tried to clear and Luka Milivojevic sent Ederson the wrong way with his penalty.
City sent Kevin de Bruyne, so often a hero of last season's procession to the title, into the rain to attempt a rescue mission but this was beyond even him.
The Belgian did reduce the deficit when his cross looped into the net, and Gabriel Jesus headed another of his deliveries over, but Palace held on for a deserved victory.
City lack usual guile
City were 13 points clear last Christmas on their march to the title but, if they are to successfully defend their title, they are going to have to do it the hard way.
We are not even at the halfway stage of this campaign so there is plenty of time for Guardiola's side to get back into their groove, and the title race is far from over, but their lack of guile and creativity here will be a concern.
It was not for the want of trying by Guardiola, who replaced two defenders with attacking players as he attempted to rescue this game in the second half.
But Aguero and De Bruyne were unable to come up with the inspiration required to break down Palace's massed defensive ranks until the Belgian's mis-hit cross gave his side hope five minutes from time. Ultimately, though, it was not nearly enough.
What next?
Both teams are in action at 15:00 GMT on 26 December, with Palace hosting Cardiff, and Manchester City travelling to Leicester, the scene of their penalty shootout win in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Palace end the year with a home game against Chelsea on 30 December (12:00), with City playing at Southampton later the same day (14:15 GMT)
More to follow.

    Line-ups
    Match Stats
    Live Text

Line-ups

Man City

    31Ederson

    2Walker

    30OtamendiSubstituted forAgüeroat 50'minutes

    14Laporte

    18DelphSubstituted forDe Bruyneat 62'minutes

    8Gündogan

    5Stones

    20Bernardo Silva

    7SterlingSubstituted forMahrezat 69'minutes

    33Gabriel Jesus

    19Sané

Substitutes

    3Danilo

    10Agüero

    17De Bruyne

    26Mahrez

    35Zinchenko

    47Foden

    49Muric

Crystal Palace

    31GuaitaBooked at 90mins

    29Wan-Bissaka

    5Tomkins

    12Sakho

    3van AanholtBooked at 75mins

    10Townsend

    18McArthurBooked at 80mins

    4Milivojevic

    15Schlupp

    7MeyerSubstituted forPuncheonat 90+5'minutes

    11ZahaBooked at 45minsSubstituted forJ Ayewat 88'minutes

Substitutes

    1Speroni

    2Ward

    6Dann

    9Sørloth

    14J Ayew

    42Puncheon

    44Riedewald

Referee:

Andre Marriner

Attendance:

54,340

Match Stats

Home TeamMan CityAway TeamCrystal Palace

Possession

Home78%

Away22%

Shots

Home19

Away5

Shots on Target

Home5

Away3

Corners

Home13

Away0

Fouls

Home7

Away6

Live Text

Posted at
Match ends, Manchester City 2, Crystal Palace 3.Full TimePosted at 90'+6'
Second Half ends, Manchester City 2, Crystal Palace 3.
Posted at 90'+5'
Attempt saved. Leroy Sané (Manchester City) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the bottom left corner.SubstitutionPosted at 90'+5'
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jason Puncheon replaces Max Meyer.BookingPosted at 90'+3'
Vicente Guaita (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card.Posted at 90'+2'
Attempt missed. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne with a cross.SubstitutionPosted at 88'
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jordan Ayew replaces Wilfried Zaha.Posted at 87'
Offside, Manchester City. Kevin De Bruyne tries a through ball, but Gabriel Jesus is caught offside.Posted at 87'
Attempt blocked. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Aymeric Laporte with a headed pass.Posted at 86'
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by James McArthur.Posted at 86'
Attempt blocked. Leroy Sané (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Aymeric Laporte.
Goal!Posted at 85'
Goal! Manchester City 2, Crystal Palace 3. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) right footed shot from long range on the right to the top left corner. Assisted by Bernardo Silva.Posted at 81'
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Andros Townsend.BookingPosted at 80'
James McArthur (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.Posted at 80'
Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 80'
Foul by James McArthur (Crystal Palace).Posted at 77'
Offside, Crystal Palace. Luka Milivojevic tries a through ball, but Wilfried Zaha is caught offside.Posted at 76'
Leroy Sané (Manchester City) hits the right post with a left footed shot from outside the box from a direct free kick.BookingPosted at 75'
Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.Posted at 75'
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Posted at 75'
Foul by Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace).Posted at 73'
Foul by Leroy Sané (Manchester City).Posted at 73'
James McArthur (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the right wing.Posted at 71'
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Andros Townsend.SubstitutionPosted at 69'
Substitution, Manchester City. Riyad Mahrez replaces Raheem Sterling.Posted at 69'
Attempt missed. Ilkay Gündogan (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.Posted at 63'
Foul by Leroy Sané (Manchester City).Posted at 63'
Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.SubstitutionPosted at 62'
Substitution, Manchester City. Kevin De Bruyne replaces Fabian Delph.Posted at 60'
Attempt missed. Max Meyer (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Wilfried Zaha.Posted at 60'
Attempt missed. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by John Stones.Posted at 58'
Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.Posted at 58'
Foul by Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace).Posted at 58'
Attempt blocked. Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bernardo Silva.
Goal!Posted at 51'
Goal! Manchester City 1, Crystal Palace 3. Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.Posted at 51'
Penalty conceded by Kyle Walker (Manchester City) after a foul in the penalty area.Posted at 51'
Penalty Crystal Palace. Max Meyer draws a foul in the penalty area.Posted at 51'
Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace) hits the right post with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Aaron Wan-Bissaka with a cross.Posted at 50'
Attempt missed. Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Leroy Sané with a cross following a corner.SubstitutionPosted at 50'
Substitution, Manchester City. Sergio Agüero replaces Nicolás Otamendi.

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Source: bbc.com