Palace fail to hit the mark as Haaland's penalty seals the deal for City

March 11 2023

Marc Guéhi looking on after a disappointing result at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace suffered a disappointing defeat against Manchester City as they failed to register a single shot on target throughout the game.

The Eagles were unable to find the back of the net, extending their shocking record of not having a shot on target for the third game in a row.

The 0-1 loss to Pep Guardiola's men at Selhurst Park on Saturday leaves Palace with a lot of work to do to avoid relegation, with their winless run now extended to ten games - the longest in the division.

Erling Haaland's penalty proved to be the difference between the two sides, as Palace were left to rue missed opportunities. Michael Olise's clumsy challenge on Ilkay Gundogan resulted in the spot-kick, which Haaland dispatched with ease, scoring his 28th goal of the season.

Palace looked to push for an equalizer, but ultimately failed to create any meaningful chances against a strong City defence.

The Eagles started the game with purpose, but failed to capitalize on early chances. A shot from Jack Grealish and a first-time effort from Rodri were both kept out by Palace goalkeeper Vicente Guaita, while Haaland missed a golden opportunity to score in the first half.

The Norwegian striker, who scored a hat-trick in the reverse fixture earlier this season, failed to hit the target from Nathan Ake's six-yard pass.

Palace fans will be concerned about the team's lack of firepower in front of goal. The team's inability to create clear-cut chances has been evident in recent games, and Saturday's defeat only added to the frustration. Despite the best efforts of Eberechi Eze, who came off the bench and had an attempt blocked, Palace were unable to trouble City's defence.

Manager Patrick Vieira will be hoping that his team can turn things around soon, with Palace sitting just four points above the relegation places. The Frenchman will be well aware that his team faces a difficult run of fixtures in the coming weeks, with trips to Brighton and Arsenal on the horizon.

Palace's defensive performance was solid for much of the game, with Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi putting in strong performances at the back. However, the team's lack of creativity in midfield and attack was a cause for concern, with Wilfried Zaha once again failing to make an impact.

Despite the defeat, Palace fans will be encouraged by the performance of Olise, who put in a good shift in midfield. The 19-year-old Frenchman showed his potential, and could play a key role in the team's fight for survival in the coming weeks.

Overall, it was a frustrating day for Palace, who will be looking to bounce back in their next game. The Eagles will need to improve their attacking play and start creating more chances if they are to avoid the drop this season.

Palace: Guaita, Clyne (Ward, 71), Andersen, Guéhi, Mitchell, Sambi Lokonga, Milivojevic (Ahamada, 61), Olise, Ayew (Édouard, 80), Schlupp (Eze, 80), Zaha

Man City: Ederson, Stones (Walker, 89), Akanji, Rúben Dias, Aké, Rodri, Gündogan, Foden (Álvarez, 58), Bernardo Silva (De Bruyne, 79), Grealish, Haaland

3 - Crystal Palace have become the first team on record (since 2003-04) to fail to have a single shot on target in three consecutive Premier League matches. Blunt. pic.twitter.com/5kfiW8htDj
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 11, 2023