MX23RW : Wednesday, November 6 01:46:22| >> :120:7807:7807:
[monks data]
Attendance: 54,340
Manchester City logo
Premier League | Gameweek 18
Dec 22, 2018 at 3pm UK
 
Crystal Palace logo

2-3

Gundogan (27'), De Bruyne (85')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Schlupp (33'), Townsend (35'), Milivojevic (51' pen.)

Guardiola defends team selection as Crystal Palace claim surprise Etihad win

Guardiola defends team selection as Crystal Palace claim surprise Etihad win
© Reuters
The champions were beaten 3-2 at home.

Pep Guardiola defended his selection and refused to blame individuals after Manchester City suffered a shock loss to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The Premier League champions were stunned as the Eagles came from behind to win 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium and leave City trailing leaders Liverpool by four points at Christmas.

City manager Guardiola had opted to start with key pair Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne on the bench while John Stones played in midfield in the absence of Fernandinho.

Pep Guardiola
Guardiola started with Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne on the bench and John Stones in midfield (Martin Rickett/PA)

Guardiola said: "Normally the selection, when you win I am a genius and when they win the selection is not good. I accept that role but I don't know what would happen if Kevin or Sergio started.

"Dinho is injured. Yesterday he felt that problem but John played so good (in midfield) at Leicester and I want to give another option for the long balls. They are a strong team in the air.

"We decided to put him there and he played good, except one ball. I admire and give credit to people who try to adapt to positions they are not used to."

Luka Milivojevic
Luka Milivojevic's second-half penalty proved crucial at the Etihad Stadium (Martin Rickett/PA)

City took the lead through Ilkay Gundogan but Palace hit back with a Jeffrey Schlupp strike and a goal of the season contender from Andros Townsend. City's hopes of getting back into the game were dashed when Kyle Walker rashly fouled Max Meyer and Luka Milivojevic stuck home the resulting penalty.

Guardiola made clear he was not impressed with Walker's challenge but did not criticise him publicly.

He said: "The third goal, the penalty, was really tough for us. We have to avoid it. We cannot concede this kind of penalty.

"But football makes good things, sometimes bad things. He will learn, we will learn about the situation for the knockout stages (of the Champions League) and important games, to improve on that.

"Here is not (just) what happened for Kyle, everybody is involved. We need the people in front to try and score goals, the people at the back to defend, everybody runs, everybody fights.

"I have few regrets. Just improve so in the future these kinds of things don't happen."

Palace boss Roy Hodgson hailed his side's performance, saying the result was more than he could have hoped for.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson, right, knew his side had to be at their best to topple the reigning Premier League champions (Martin Rickett/PA)He said: "Getting something from the game was always going to be a tough ask because they have such a strong team and such a good bench.

"We certainly didn't come up here thinking we had no chance or this was the kind of game we had to write off.

"But what we did think was that unless we produce a performance of that quality, discipline and workrate then we wouldn't have much of a chance.

"Luckily today the goals fell for us. After going 1-0 down we were able to score two good goals and that gives you something to cling on to and makes life harder for the opposition."

Townsend felt his strike, a ferocious 30-yard volley, was the best of his career.

The winger told the BBC: "It sat up perfectly for me. I knew I couldn't take a touch as City would have been on me and on the counter, and as soon as it left my foot I knew it had a good chance.

"It's definitely the best goal of my career, against the best side I've ever played."

ID:344958: cacheID:344958:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:11765:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Jadon Sancho in action for Borussia Dortmund on October 6, 2018
Read Next:
Barca, Madrid 'closely monitoring Sancho'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!