Kevin De Bruyne sparks Man City to life as Champions League spot could be parting gift

MANCHESTER CITY 5-2 CRYSTAL PALACE: City were 2-0 down inside 21 minutes at the Etihad Stadium, but they roared back to deliver a huge result for their top five hopes

Kevin De Bruyne rolled back the years with an attacking masterclass to inspire a comeback win to boost Manchester City’s Champions League hopes. Pep Guardiola’s side found themselves 2-0 down after 21 minutes, with De Bruyne taking it upon himself to almost single-handedly haul them back into the game and on to a vital win.

A goal, an assist and a marauding display was a reminder of De Bruyne’s enduring brilliance, even if it is the right decision to end his glittering 10-year spell at City at the end of this season.

And while City fans were treated to a throwback with De Bruyne’s display, they were also afforded a glimpse of the future, with goals from young duo James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly, the former on his full Premier League debut.

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But the final score looked unlikely when Palace surged to a 2-0 lead, going ahead after eight minutes. Ismaila Sarr was afforded time and space to pick out Eberechi Eze, who was left with the simple task of turning the ball into the net.

City could have been level five minutes later, when De Bruyne put Omar Marmoush through on goal, but Chris Richards pressured him, with Dean Henderson off his line early to block the shot.

Palace doubled their lead in the 21st minute, Richards heading in from an Adam Warton corner, with City keeper Ederson in no man’s land and Ruben Dias guilty of slack marking. De Bruyne hit a post minutes later, while Eze did have the ball in the net in the 28th minute, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside, following a semi-automated check.

De Bruyne hauled City back into the game with an expertly-dispatched free-kick from 25 yards out in the 33rd minute and the Blues were level three minutes later, Omar Marmoush burying a ferocious strike – which took a deflection – past Henderson after an air-shot from Ilkay Gunodgan.

The goal prompted Guardiola to cup his hand to his ear, then wave both arms up and down, urging City’s fans to turn up the noise. De Bruyne missed a chance to put City ahead before the break, but was involved in the goal that saw the Blues go ahead two minutes into the second-half, teeing up Mateo Kovacic, who made it 3-2 with an arrowed finish.

McAtee blazed over, but redemption arrived in the 56th minute, when he sprinted on to a long ball from Ederson and took it past Henderson, before coolly slotting it into the empty net. McAtee was congratulated by team-mates, as was Ederson, for a record-extending seventh assist in the Premier League.

The only sour note for City was an injury to Ederson, which forced him off with 19 minutes left, replaced by Stefan Ortega.

O’Reilly completed the rout with a cleverly-taken volley 11 minutes from time, with De Bruyne earning a deserved standing ovation when he was withdrawn three minutes from time.

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