Blues slip to fourth after defeat at Selhurst Park
FA Premier League
Monday 06 April 2015, 20.00 KO
City: Hart, Sagna, Kompany (c), Demichelis, Clichy, Fernandinho (Milner 88), Toure, Navas (Nasri 75), Silva, Dzeko (Lampard 65), Aguero
Unused: Caballero, Zabaleta, Mangala, Fernando
Goals: Toure (77)
Booked: Demichelis
Referee: Michael Oliver
Man of the match: Fernandinho
Monday night saw yet another sub par performance from Manuel Pellegrini's side, as they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat against Alan Pardew's Crystal Palace. It was yet another damaging defeat for Pellegrini, who now finds himself under serious pressure with City's title challenge effectively over.
City started the game well and dominated possession in the first half, but failed to take their opportunities. Sergio Aguero was unlucky to see a shot bounce off the foot of the post, whilst David Silva forced Julian Speroni into two smart saves.
Against the run of the play, however, City found themselves a goal down after 34 minutes when Scott Murray forced the ball home from short range. City were aggrieved that Scott Dann wasn't given offside in the build-up, but it was reflective of their bad fortune at present.
Palace doubled their lead early in the second half, after Fernandinho clumsily brought down Murray outside the box. Jason Puncheon bent the resulting free kick into Joe Hart's bottom corner from 20 yards out. Pellegrini's side were rueing their earlier missed chances, and faced an uphill struggle to salvage anything from the game.
Yaya Toure did manage to pull one back, lashing in a volley from twenty yards, but it wasn't enough to rally a late comeback for the Blues. The Premier League Champions now find themselves fourth after Monday's loss, and with the Manchester derby looming, the pressure on Pellegrini intensifies by the day.