CRYSTAL PALACE 1, MANCHESTER CITY 2
- Vincent Kompany starts but goes off injured in the first half following collision with Claudio Bravo
- Yaya Toure makes since first appearance since August, and scores his first brace since May 2015 to secure victory for Manchester City
- Connor Wickham grabs equaliser as Crystal Palace exploit City weakness in wide areas on the break but they can’t hold on
Forgotten man Yaya Toure came up with a brace to secure victory for Manchester City at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace after captain Vincent Kompany suffered another injury blow in only his fifth appearance of the season.
It was Toure’s first game for City since August in a Champions League group stage qualifying match against Steaua Bucharest since City manager Pep Guardiola exiled him from the City squad following comments made by his controversial agent Dimitri Seluk.
A recent apology on behalf of his agent from the 33-year-old Ivorian signalled the return to the first team squad for the popular midfielder but he hadn’t appeared in a City match day squad until today.
Guardiola paid tribute to the talismanic midfielder who hauled City back from the brink of a bad result on the road against Palace.
He said: “We didn’t play brilliant, the way we wanted to play, but we adapted. I know how difficult it is to come here.”
The Spaniard was pleased to have another midfield option back in the fold after Toure’s match-winning performance, adding: “I am so happy for him. He’s a nice guy. His weight is perfect now and there’s no doubt about his quality.”
With one eye on Wednesday’s crucial Champions League game against Borussia Monchengladbach, Guardiola sprang a selection surprise by naming Kompany and Toure in the starting line-up against Crystal Palace.
John Stones, Ilkay Gundogan and Gael Clichy were given the day off while Pablo Zabaleta, David Silva and Jesus Navas dropped to the bench as City looked to rest players for the trip to Germany.
Two players who were not afforded a rest, however, were Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho who had travelled back from South America from international duty – they joined Raheem Sterling, Nolito, Bacary Sagna, Nicolas Otamendi, Toure and Kompany in the starting line-up in South London.
City’s luckless captain, yet to complete a whole Premier League game this season, had to be withdrawn with suspected concussion after barely half an hour on the pitch following an unfortunate collision with Claudio Bravo and complained of blurred vision soon afterwards.
It wasn’t long after losing Kompany that City upped a gear and Toure deflected shot flew in from inside the box after he exchanged passes with Nolito shortly before half time with City pouncing after Martin Kelly’s clearance went straight to Kevin De Bruyne.
The fit-looking Toure was mobbed by his team mates after his first goal but City were vulnerable on the break as Palace committed more men to attack and tried to press City into mistakes and counter attacked down the flanks.
The home side could have equalised after Jason Puncheon’s cross found Christian Benteke but the Belgian’s header flew straight at Bravo whose brilliant reaction save saw the ball fall to Wilfried Zaha who blazed the follow-up well wide.
Sergio Aguero saw his goal-bound shot cleared off the line by Joel Ward after Wayne Hennessey could only get a hand on it but the Eagles counter attacked quickly and Connor Wickham lashed the equaliser past Bravo from a pass by the lively Zaha in the 66th minute.
But Toure had the last word with seven minutes to go, turning De Bruyne’s corner in from six yards out to send City back to second place in the Premier League table on goals scored to the delight of the travelling fans.