Manchester City delivered a footballing spectacle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, roaring back from a two-goal deficit to dismantle Crystal Palace 5–2 in a thrilling Premier League encounter. The dramatic turnaround, led by a vintage display from Kevin De Bruyne, reignited City’s push for Champions League qualification and showcased their fighting spirit.
The match began in shocking fashion for the home fans as Crystal Palace stunned the champions with two quickfire goals. Eberechi Eze broke the deadlock in the 8th minute, expertly guiding in a cross from Ismaïla Sarr. Chris Richards added a second in the 21st minute, rising highest to nod home a corner and send the away end into raptures. Eze nearly made it 3–0 shortly after, but a tight offside call denied the visitors what could have been a killer blow.
That disallowed goal seemed to jolt City into life. In the 33rd minute, Kevin De Bruyne sparked the comeback with a thunderous 25-yard free-kick that kissed the post on its way in. Just moments later, Omar Marmoush capitalized on a defensive error to slam home the equalizer, swinging the momentum firmly in City’s favor before halftime.
City came out after the break with renewed intensity. Within two minutes of the restart, Mateo Kovačić put them ahead, coolly finishing off a slick move orchestrated by De Bruyne. The Belgian maestro wasn’t done—he continued to dictate play, stretching Palace’s backline with pinpoint passes.
In the 62nd minute, James McAtee made it four, latching onto a superb long ball from goalkeeper Ederson, who registered his fourth assist of the season. The rout was completed in the 89th minute when Nico O’Reilly tapped in a well-worked team goal, capping a five-star second-half performance.
The result not only lifts City back into the top four but also ends a stuttering run of form in the league, where they had claimed just three wins in their previous eight outings. For Crystal Palace, the defeat halts a remarkable 10-match unbeaten away run and serves as a stark reminder of City’s firepower when in full flow.