Photo credit: Sports Vision
In the second round of the season, Crystal Palace drew with Liverpool, and after this game, Crystal Palace's popularity quickly climbed. This is not only due to the game itself, but also due to the continuous harassment of Darwin by Crystal Palace defender Andersen, which eventually led to the opponent's emotional outburst and was sent off with a red card for a malicious foul. Crystal Palace under the coaching of Vieira has shown a tough style of play, allowing Liverpool to feel the pressure in the game. Looking back at last season, Crystal Palace had a win and a draw against Manchester City, who failed to beat Crystal Palace. Moreover, Crystal Palace challenged Manchester City four times at the Etihad Stadium, gaining a total of 7 points (2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss), and Manchester City only got 1 win at home. As you can see, Crystal Palace is a big problem for Manchester City.
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It is worth mentioning that Zaha, Crystal Palace's strongest striker, was unable to play due to a leg injury, which is undoubtedly a huge loss for Crystal Palace. Guardiola also made tactical adjustments for this game, sending Mahrez on the right wing, B.Silva into the midfield and Gundogan on the bench. At the back, Stones and Ruben Dias, Ake and Grealish, and Laporte are out due to injury.
Guardiola's tactical arrangement for Mahrez to play on the right wing has been planned for a long time, knowing the player's impact power, and letting him keep pounding on the opponent's side, with the final blow being done by a technical player. Last season, this tactical arrangement gave B.Silva and Gundogan a chance to rest. Currently, both newcomers and veterans must adapt to this rotation. Although City's technical passing game is not as good when Mahrez starts as when both are on the pitch at the same time, this style of play is essential in order to get through the long season.
The game was expected to be full of physical collisions and stalemate battles, however, City were unlucky to miss from a corner just four minutes into the game when Stones' header accidentally went in, which was refracted twice between Walker and Stones, and Eze's set-piece, which also had already had a hit on De Bruyne and should have actually deflected three times, was a real misfortune for City.
Conceding a goal wasn't fatal, but then City started to be pressed by Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace had their strikers Edouard and Schlupp going forward all the time, directly on top of City's Rodri and center backs, and Eze and J.Ayew on either side would come up at the right time, as if choking City's throat and preventing them from getting the ball out of their waist position.
Photo credit: Sports Vision
Vieira, as a back from the back, knows the importance of defending against Manchester City attacking players. He chose to top the Manchester City waist position, rather than grabbing the ball, so as to prevent the Manchester City players to pass the ball, can not be mobilized to the two wings, randomly pass out if it is easy to be intercepted to play counterattack. This made the whole first half of the game very difficult for City, the speed of the attack dropped significantly, because the waist was restricted, the two wings were slow to switch, and the back and center backs were also difficult to go up to shorten the distance between the ball, and could only play the ball from the very back of the position. This also led to the disappearance of Mahrez, because City's forces are concentrated on the left flank, the right flank to use Mahrez to raid, once the center of the distribution ability to deteriorate slow, it will make Mahrez in the place must have been alone in the face of the opponent has been in place of two people in the defense line, and difficult to produce a role.
However, by the 21st minute, Crystal Palace had again taken a corner and again it was Stones who blundered, missing the aerial ball that flew at him head on, allowing Andersen to get up at the back post for an easy header, this time Stones' error was even more glaring.
City were two points down at half time at home and they kept trying to chase points but could do nothing against Crystal Palace. Guardiola began to make tactical changes at the start of the second half, with De Bruyne clearly moving to the right-hand side and B.Silva supporting to the right but also choosing to go to the left in what amounted to a state of free choice. Pep Guardiola deliberately pulled the two sides wider and increased the numbers on both flanks, while allowing the backs to get the ball out as quickly as possible to avoid being robbed on the counter-attack.
This affected Crystal Palace, who could have stepped up their midfield pressing to play on the counter-attack, but chose to engage with City down the wing, resulting in a slightly stretched midfield line.
Guardiola was ready to replace Mahrez and the under-performing Cancelo for Gundogan and Alvarez, however, before he could execute the substitutions, City picked up a goal first.
In the 53rd minute, with City pulling the ball wide for a cross, or letting the winger go forward, the Crystal Palace midfield line was constantly being toyed with by City in terms of blocking to the side, backing up, and the back line blocking the breakthroughs. B.Silva received a transfer from the right and got into the box, and fired a low shot from 18 yards, which had a slight change of direction for the keeper to judge, and the goal was scored.
