HT Crystal Palace 1-0 Manchester City
There was a feeling of ‘here we go again’ among the City fanbase when Guardiola picked this team, abandoning the blueprint and several of the players that have given them much-needed stability of late, but that was a very solid, very good first half.
They were undone by a very smart Palace move from their old goal kick, probably caught out by Palace trying something new in that situation, but they have had the stability and the fighting quality to keep a lid on things otherwise, and between the Marmoush penalty and De Bruyne’s chance shortly before half-time they should be at least level.
And what about the Henderson VAR decision (and subsequent penalty save, of course)? There’s plenty in this for City.