CRYSTAL PALACE PUT a huge dent in Manchester City’s faint hopes of retaining their Premier League title with a 2-1 win at Selhurst Park. Goals either side of half-time from Glenn Murray – his fifth in as many matches – and Jason Puncheon sealed all three points for Palace, with Yaya Toure’s thumping late drive proving scant consolation for the champions.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side now sit nine points adrift of Chelsea having played a game more, and they head into Sunday’s derby with Manchester United in fourth and a point behind their rivals having lost three of their last five league fixtures.
City felt Murray’s first-half opener should not have stood, claiming that both he and Scott Dann were offside in the build-up, with replays showing the two decisions to be marginal.
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City left the field at half-time complaining to the officials about the validity of the goal, and their mood was not improved three minutes after the restart when Puncheon sent a 20-yard free-kick over the wall and into the bottom-right corner.
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There was further controversy 20 minutes from time when Murray clearly handled Fernandinho’s deflected shot in the area, but referee Michael Oliver waved away City’s vociferous appeals for a penalty.
James McArthur did brilliantly to clear another Fernandinho effort over the bar as the visitors piled on the pressure, and Toure’s superb left-footed strike from 20 yards raised hopes of a comeback.
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City substitute Samir Nasri and Toure both went close with deflected efforts late on but, as was the case for Liverpool last May, City’s bid for Premier League glory seemingly came to an end at Selhurst Park.
