Manchester City 4, Crystal Palace 0
Manchester City moved up to second place in the Premier League with their fifth win a row in the league after John Stones scored twice to beat Crystal Palace.
After a three year goal drought Stones scored his second and third goals in 11 days – his first Premier League goals for six years – with Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling curling shots into the same top corner to stun the Eagles in the second half to record a 15th unbeaten game in all competitions.
It was also the first time in this most unusual of seasons that a club had recorded five consecutive wins in the Premier League as City moved onto nine unbeaten in a row in their quiet march up to second.
They also recorded a ninth Premier League clean sheet of the season as they prevented Palace from having any shots on targets and hogged 73% of the possession against Roy Hodgson’s side.
The win meant that City found themselves in second place behind Manchester United, 2 points behind the league leaders with a game in hand to come against Aston Villa after United drew a blank at Liverpool who subsequently slipped to fourth.
Sergio Aguero was still self isolating as City welcomed Crystal Palace to the Etihad Stadium where City boss Pep Guardiola made three changes from the side that beat Brighton on Wednesday.
Match winner Phil Foden, Joao Cancelo, and Riyad Mahrez stepped down to the bench and were replaced by fit-again Gabriel Jesus, Fernandinho, and Kyle Walker.
Eberechi Eze and Andros Townsend started for Crystal Palace but there was no place in the squad for Wilfried Zaha despite the Eagles only naming seven substitutes.
City found Crystal Palace their usual organised stubborn side to break down and neither side had chances in the opening 15 minutes, with James Tomkins heading out a cross into the area by Bernardo Silva.
So few were the chances that Eze tried a speculative lob to catch out Ederson but overcooked it, and his later free kick wasn’t much better – holing out for Ederson to easy collect.
Palace put their bodies on the line to block three successive shots by City players as the home side stepped up a gear but had to be alert for counter attacks after loose passes.
De Bruyne tried to lay the ball on a plate for Raheem Sterling after the England winger had found him on the right flank but Joel Ward cut the ball out – however Palace hadn’t learned their lesson.
John Stones scores twice and helps Manchester City to yet another clean sheet in the win against Crystal Palace
Barely a minute later De Bruyne got the ball back from Sterling from his corner then dropped a delicious cross with the outside of his right boot onto the head of John Stones who headed home from six yards out in the 26th minute – his first Premier League goal for City a week after he had broken a three year goal drought in the Carabao Cup 11 days ago.
It was also the 100th assist in all competitions for De Bruyne since his arrival at Manchester City in 2015.
James McArthur went down in the area soon afterwards but there was no penalty while Ward brought down De Bruyne 25 yards out but Ilkay Gundogan blazed the effort over as the chances continued to arrive.
Gabriel Jesus glanced a Gundogan flick on into the arms of Vicente Guaita after a dizzying period of possession from City who never reached top gear in the first half.
Jesus went down under a challenge from Tyrick Mitchell but penalty claims were waved away by Lee Mason as City started the second half strongly.
Gundogan then won the loose ball after Townsend miscontrolled and failed to properly clear Bernardo Silva’s corner, created space for himself, and then arrowed the ball into the top corner beyond Guaita in the 56th minute.
It was the 6th goal of the season for the German who has already matched his record tally in a season for City with over half a season to go.
That was the cue for the introduction of Foden, who replaced Bermardo Silva on the hour mark.
De Bruyne tried for the spectacular after a lay off by Jesus but sent his shot wide – the audacious attempt bringing applause from Guardiola on the touch line.
Stones then notched his second of the game, rifling home the rebound after from 12 yards out after Ruben Dias’ header had been parried on the goal line by Guaita.
Jairo Riedewald was sent on for Luka Milivojevic in the 69th minute while City responded with a double change to see Ferran Torres and Joao Cancelo come on for Gundogan and De Bruyne after 71 minutes.
The Belgian had an ice pack applied to his left ankle after an earlier knock during the game after he came off.
Jordan Ayew had a penalty shout turned down after he fell in the area under a challenge by Fernandinho.
Michy Batshuayi replaced an unhappy looking Townsend with 11 minutes to go as Crystal Palace looked to get something out of the game but City were too slick for the Eagles.
Foden was fouled on the edge of the Palace area and Raheem Sterling and powered a superb effort into the same top corner that Gundogan had hit from 18 yards with 2 minutes to go.
It was only the 8th goal of the season for out of form Sterling and his first goal for a month as City eased to victory.
GOALS – Manchester City 4, Crystal Palace 0
Man City 1, Crystal Palace 0: 26. John Stones had an easy header to put City into the lead from 6 yards out after Kevin De Bruyne arrowed the ball towards him with the outside of his right boot.
Man City 2, Crystal Palace 0: 56. Ilkay Gundogan took possession of the loose ball after Andros Townsend failed to clear it, created space for himself and then arrowed it into the top corner beyond the reach of a flying Vicente Guaita.
Man City 3, Crystal Palace 0: 68. John Stones notched his second goal of the game, rifling home from 12 yards out after Vicente Guaita could only parry Ruben Dias’ header from a City corner.
Man City 4, Crystal Palace 0: 88. Raheem Sterling powered a free kick from 18 yards out into the top corner beyond the grasp of Vicente Guaita after Phil Foden had been fouled just outside the Palace area.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 4, Crystal Palace 0
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, De Bruyne (Torres 71), Gundogan (Cancelo 71), Bernardo Silva (Foden 60), Sterling, Jesus
Man City Subs not used: Steffen, Rodri, Mendy, Mahrez, Delap, Doyle
Goals: Stones 26, 68; Gundogan 56; Sterling 88
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, Tomkins, Cahill, Mitchell, McArthur, McCarthy, Milivojevic (Riedewald 69), Eze, Townsend (Batshuayi 79), Jordan Ajew
Crystal Palace subs not used: Butland, van Aanholt, Dann, Clyne, Benteke
Referee: Lee Mason