December 28 2013

Palace shirts in the dressing room at Selhurst Park

Crystal Palace put in a spirited performance against Manchester City but were defeated by a second half goal by Edin Dzeko.

Tony Pulis kept with the side which started against Aston Villa on Boxing day, which meant that Marouane Chamakh had to settle for a place on the bench alongside Dwight Gayle.

City had the first chance of the match when David Silva played in Dzeko, but his shot went wide of Julian Speroni's goal.

On the half hour mark Cameron Jerome collided with Joe Hart, after Jonathan Parr played a teasing cross into the box. Both players suffered knocks but a knee problem forced the on-loan striker to be replaced by Chamakh.

Just before the break, Speroni superbly tipped a goal bound header from Fernandinho over the bar.

After the break Palace continued to frustrate City and created chances of their own.

Jason Puncheon's low shot was pushed away by Hart and Chamakh failed to the find the target with a header.

Puncheon then curled a shot inches wide with Hart stranded, before Mile Jedinak slanted in a shot that the City keeper tipped away for a corner.

Unfortunately for Palace their resolve was finally broken in the 66th minute when Jesus Navas cut the ball back for Dzeko to shoot past Speroni from near the penalty spot.

Soon after the restart, Joel Ward had two great chances to equalise, first a shot which was brilliantly turned past the post by Hart, and then a free header on the back post from the resulting corner, which he planted wide.

City played keep-ball for the majority of the remaining minutes of the game, and Palace ended up being unfortunate not to take something away from this game.

Palace: Speroni, Mariappa, Parr, Ward, Gabbidon, Delaney, Puncheon, Jedinak, Jerome (Chamakh, 35), Bannan (Gayle, 81), Bolasie (Williams, 76)

Subs not used: Price, Campana, Phillips, Moxey

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