Dzeko helps City just clip Eagles wings

MANCHESTER CITY           1 - 0       CRYSTAL  PALACE

          

Dzeko 65'

Edin Dzeko 50th Manchester City goal was enough to send Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League table since the opening weekend of the season, after a tough 1-0 victory over a difficult to break down Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium.

City boss Manuel Pellegrini raised a few eyebrows with his team selection for the game, as he made Seven changes from the side that had beaten Liverpool 2-1 only two days before on Boxing Day.

It saw a near brand new defence for the Blues, with only Captain Vincent Kompany keeping his place at the back for the home side. While Gael Clichy, Belgian Dedrcyck Boyata and returning from injury Matija Nastasic all came into the team, with James Milner and Javi Garcia starting in midfield as well as Edin Dzeko playing up front as the lone striker in the starting Eleven. Pellegrini also gave some playing time to his fringe players while resting a couple on a bench too.

It was clear from the off that Crystal Palace was going to have everyone behind the ball and was that they were going to try and frustrate the home side by it. City would have to work extremely hard to break down the stubborn Palace back defence as the home side enjoy a majority of possession in the first half.

 Crystal Palace`s fortunes have changed in the last few weeks with new boss Tony Pulis style of football, starting to rub off on some of the Eagles players as they have looked a better defensive unit in the last few games for the Visitors.

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City created a chance after a couple of minutes in when James Milner pass to Brazilian Fernandinho, saw the midfielder float a ball over the top for Edin Dzeko, but the ball was too high for the Bosnian hitman to do anything with.

Dzeko then had a half chance for the Blues, when David Silva was looking to unlock the Crystal Palace defence and his vision spotted the movement of Dzeko who had stayed on side and his effort across goal, when harmlessly wide of the goal but shown Palace, that they were dangerous despite resting a few of their star players.

For the opening half hour of the contest, the play was all inside the Palace half as City had hoped to score an early goal as to make Palace try and chase the game with an early goal.

City were carving chances out, only problem was that the shots were all off target and not troubling Spironi in the Palace goals.

Silva had an effort go wide of the target, after Fernandinho had the ball on the wrong side for him and so he laid the ball off to the Spanish wizard and saw him miss the goal with his effort.

The Visitors then created an attack with Bolasie running at the City back line unchallenged and his strike was off target, but shown Palace was up to giving it a go.

City were knocking down the away side door, but just couldn`t hit the target at all with James Milner being the next player to fire the ball just over the bar from a Clichy pass.

All the possession the home side was having wasn`t counting for anything at all, but saw City come nearer to a goal. When more good passing play saw Clichy put a ball towards the back post and Dzeko header on goal was flicked over the bar for a Corner to the home side.

pic: talksport

James Milner had another attempt for City, as his shot was deflected away for another corner kick after Silva had found Milner free.

Bolasie then had a half chance for Palace after a knockdown from Cameron Jerome saw the Striker volley the ball into the ground and safely in to the hands of Joe Hart. City then had another chance go begging as this time, Silva had his shot blocked for a corner as they kept up the pressure on the visitors.

In the 28th minute, a cross whipped in by Parr down the City right saw Palace forward Cameron Jerome and City Goalkeeper Joe Hart collide in the area and saw the Palace man going off injured, while Hart picked up a nasty looking cut under his left eye and carried on for the home side.

David Silva then nearly created a goal out of nothing, when a ball by Boyata saw the midfielder manage to kill it dead by the dead ball line and he then tried to curl a fierce shot in at a tight angle and saw the ball go just past the far post.

Fernandinho had an effort for the home side as after another patience build up by the home side saw Silva dink a ball into Dzeko and the Brazilian then flicked it up over defender head then volleyed over the bar, for yet another wasteful chance to the Manchester side.

On the stroke of half time Fernanadinho had yet another attempt on goal, this time it brought a reaction save from Spironi in the Crystal Palace goals, to deny City the lead after a great ball in to the area by James Milner, which saw the midfielder header on target and see a great save by the goal keeper.

Second half saw Crystal Palace come far more into the game than the home side will have wanted them to have been. Jason Puncheon nearly gave the London side  the lead after he evaded a poor tackle from Javi Garcia outside the area and then his was saved by Joe Hart who made a good stop to tip it away for a corner. 

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From the corner, Chamakh just got in front of Nastastic but his header was off target and saw it go out for a goal kick.

Pellegrini then made an odd change to his side, with him bringing off Fernandinho who was one of a handful of players that was performing well on the pitch and he substituted him for Samir Nasri, as well as bringing Alvaro Negredo on for Defender Dedryck Boyata, as City now went with two strikers up front in the match.

City fans were starting to get worried now as they have been used to seeing their side coasting to victories at the Etihad Stadium this year and some fans were probably thinking as well, would City score at all in this game as they were struggling.

Jason Puncheon caused City defenders more trouble with his runs as he had another effort that curled just wide of the far post and had the home fans panicking with the way their side was playing, as it was far below what they have seen from them.

Palace went close once again, this time through Jedinak had his hard driven shot tipped over by Hart as the home side looked all at sea, with Palace now looking to be in the ascendancy now, with Pulis`s men confidence growing and believing they could win the game now.

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Then in the 65th minute, the breakthrough came for the home side.

City for all the play and possession they had over the game and were finally able to convert and much like he has done in the past, Dzeko popped up with an important goal and this could prove crucial come end of the season.

Jesus Navas then picked up a ball that was partially cleared in the Visitors penalty area and he then put a ball across the box and Edin Dzeko buried the ball in the corner for a 1-0 lead. 

The visitors almost responded straight away when Ward had a strike, that saw Hart just get a finger tip on the ball to push it out for a corner.

Edin Dzeko almost made it 2-0 for the home side before stoppage time, when a cross by Navas saw Dzeko header at the side of the net saw him see it just go over the bar for a goal kick.

 The win put City temporarily top of the league since the opening weekend of the season, as the other side’s around them in the league played the day after.

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