Crystal Palace and Manchester City played out an entertaining 2-2 draw at Selhurst Park that extended the reigning champions’ winless away run to four league matches.

The hosts caused Pep Guardiola’s side plenty of problems and merited a point that continues their recent upturn in form.

Daniel Munoz gave the hosts the lead inside four minutes before Erling Haaland equalised before half-time.

The two sides shared a goal apiece in the second period, too, with Maxence Lacroix and Rico Lewis both hitting the target, before the latter was sent off with six minutes to play.

Following the draw, Manchester City remain fourth in the Premier League, eight points behind leaders Liverpool. Crystal Palace, meanwhile, climb a place to 16th.

How the match unfolded

Oliver Glasner’s side started the match fast and were quickly rewarded, with Munoz latching onto Will Hughes’ fine through-ball and firing beyond Stefan Ortega to put his side in front after four minutes.

An end-to-end encounter presented both sides with chances, Ismaila Sarr and Jefferson Lerma squandering openings for the hosts, while Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan went close for Man City.

The visitors did equalise in the 31st minute, when Matheus Nunes’ arcing cross wasn’t dealt with by Marc Guehi or Dean Henderson and Haaland took advantage to score his 13th league goal of the season, which takes him level with Mohamed Salah in the race for the Golden Boot.

The hosts were back in front 11 minutes into the second half, Lacroix heading home Hughes’ corner having been left unmarked.

But City hit back again midway through the second period when Bernardo Silva teed up Lewis to curl into the top corner for his first goal of the season and for the first time since 6 April 2024, which was also against Palace.

City finally grasped control of the game and did look the more likely to pinch a third, with both Savinho and Haaland threatening.

Lewis was then dismissed for a second bookable offence in the 84th minute, diminishing the visitors’ threat, as the points were shared.

Palace back at it

While Palace lost the lead twice, this performance was the latest indicator that they have recovered from their early-season wobble.

They ended last season brilliantly under Glasner but drew three and lost five of their first eight matches of this campaign, leaving them in trouble at the bottom of the table.

They had lost just one of their subsequent six matches heading into this encounter, though, and look much more like the side that stormed to a top-half finish in 2023/24, and have proved such a difficult opponent in 12 seasons as a top-flight side.

Hughes was impressive in midfield, never giving City a moment to settle and teeing up both of Palace’s goals.

Eberechi Eze also provided some lovely moments as he continued to move through the gears since his return from injury at the end of November, while Jean-Philippe Mateta and Sarr were a threat to City’s backline.

It all adds up to a team that looks poised to climb the table and leave any relegation concerns behind them.

De Bruyne can’t mask defensive deficiencies

City couldn’t exert the control they needed over this match, but it is clear the return of Kevin De Bruyne is improving their attacking play.

The Belgian was involved in two of his team’s best moments in the first half, sliding Haaland in on goal for his early chance before nearly teeing up the Norwegian again with a low cross.

He saw plenty of the ball in the second period, too, floating across the pitch to receive possession between the lines, with Lewis’ goal resulting from one such moment.

But the impact of their talismanic midfielder was not enough to mask the familiar defensive frailties that are plaguing City’s title defence.

The champions’ back four was totally pulled apart as Munoz scored Palace’s first, while Lacroix was given too much time to head home the second from a corner.

Guardiola’s system has been designed to avoid giving away counter-attacks, but they gave up a number of big chances from those situations at Selhurst Park. They will surely struggle to challenge for top spot should that continue.

Club reports

Crystal Palace report | Man City report

Match officials

Referee: Rob Jones. Assistants: Ian Hussin, Neil Davies. Fourth official: Sam Barrott. VAR: Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR: Adrian Holmes.