Report & Highlights: Palace hit three past reigning champions Man City

Summary

• Powell names an unchanged side from the 4-1 Premier League Cup win away at Birmingham City
• Umeh puts Palace ahead in the 10th minute by capitalising on a City mistake at the back
• Simpson-Pusey is forced off for Manchester City with an injury and replaced by Smith
• HT: Man City 0-1 Palace
• Mathurin doubles Palace’s lead in the 46th minute after capitalising on another City mistake at the back
• Whitworth keeps City out with an impressive save at full-stretch in the 72nd minute
• City awarded indirect free-kick inside the box late on, but can't capitalise
• Imray seals the win in stoppage time with an impressive strike into the top-right hand corner
• FT: Man City 0-3 Palace

Following a 4-1 win away at Birmingham City in the Premier League Cup, Crystal Palace U21s were on the road again, this time travelling to Manchester City for their first Premier League 2 fixture since beating Leeds United 7-1 almost a month ago.

Head coach Darren Powell named an unchanged side from the team which won empathically in the West Midlands last time out.

Man City dominated the early exchanges of the match, controlling the majority of the ball and registering three corners inside the opening ten minutes, but it was Palace who took the lead against the run of play.

Following some positive play in and around the City penalty area, the hosts failed to clear Danny Imray’s cross into the box, allowing the ball to bounce kindly for Franco Umeh who made no mistake, driving the ball into the back of the net to give the young Eagles the lead with his fifth goal of the season.

Despite going behind, the hosts continued to control possession but struggled to find a way through Palace’s rear-guard.

Last season’s Premier League 2 champions were doing the majority of their work down the left-hand side, with the duo of left-back Tomas Galvez and City captain Micah Hamilton linking up well, the latter seeing a shot at goal blocked in the 26th minute.

Palace spent the majority of the first half looking to hit the home side on the break and went close in the 38th minute, as a long ball was played forward toward Roshaun Mathurin, but True Grant showed great awareness to rush off his line and clear the danger for City.

David Ozoh had a great chance to double Palace’s advantage in first-half stoppage time, as he picked up space and was played through the heart of the City defence, but he saw his shot blocked by Max Alleyne.

Almost as soon as the second half began however, the young Eagles doubled their lead. Once again, they capitalised on a City mistake at the back as Mathurin cut out a cross-field pass across the box, took it down well and made no mistake with the finish, driving the ball into the bottom left-hand corner to give Palace some daylight.

It was now a much more open contest, after Palace doubled the lead, with chances flowing at either end: Ozoh, Mathurin and Galvez all had shooting opportunities but couldn’t find the target.

City had multiple shots at goal in quick succession just past the hour mark, but Palace did well to get bodies in the way and clear the ball to prevent the hosts from cutting the deficit in half.

Palace looked to have a chance to add a third on the break in with 20 minutes remaining, but first-half substitute Smith did well for City as he won the ball back with a well-timed sliding challenge on Umeh.

Joe Whitworth had to make his first real save of the match in the 72nd minute, when centre-back Alleyne drove forward and struck well from distance, diving at full-stretch and pushing the ball around his left-hand post.

The home side had an opportunity to get themselves back into the game in unusual circumstances in the 83rd minute as they were awarded an indirect free kick on the penalty spot, after Whitworth was penalised for holding onto the ball for too long.

Palace got the game’s third and final goal as Imray capped off an impressive performance, getting forward from right-back and driving a rasping shot into the top-right hand corner from just inside the penalty area.

The win sees Palace move to 11th in Premier League 2, above the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

City: Grant (GK), Samuel, Simpson-Pusey (Smith, 41), Alleyne, Galvez, Susoho (Dunbar-McDonald, 85), Ndala (Oboavwoduo, 52), Adam, Heskey, Taylor, Hamilton (Fapetu, 85).

Sub not used: Murray-Jones (GK)

Palace: Whitworth, Imray, Adaramola, Rodney, Grehan, Sheridan, Wells-Morrison, Ozoh, Ola-Adebomi, Mathurin (Raymond, 77), Umeh (Akinwale, 86).

Subs not used: Izquierdo (GK), Watson, Reid.