PL Update: Man City cruise past Crystal Palace
Cara Banks, Robbie Earle, and Robbie Mustoe react to Manchester City taking care of business against Crystal Palace at the Etihad to stay within striking distance of Arsenal in the title race.
Video Transcript
And time now for our Premier League update.
Guys, we welcome you back into our Premier League studios.
Cara Banks alongside Robbie Earl and Robbie Mustoe.
Goodness me, they delivered despite some interesting changes from Pep Guardiola.
Made six changes, in fact, heading into this, with one eye on the FA Cup final coming at Wembley on Saturday.
So let's get straight to the highlights, guys.
Talk us through it.
Well, the first half an hour, Crystal Palace had made it difficult for Manchester City, and then this man took over, Phil Foden, with the back heel to Semenyo.
Semenyo scores.
But all the credit has to go to Foden.
Look, he- his head's constantly on the turn, so he's taking pictures.
He understands what's around him, where the runs might come, where the space is.
As the ball finds its way to him, he's had his last look knowing Semenyo's gonna run, and then it's a brilliant back heel into the path of the forward.
It's outstanding.
Look here, he sees him.
Now there's a disguise.
He looks away.
He back heels it into the path of the forward, and Semenyo does a good job of just first time hitting the ball low into the corner of the net.
It's a beautifully crafted goal.
It tells you everything about Phil Foden.
And Foden, with the confidence, with that creativity, is a game changer, and it was, because the first goal was so important to- against this Crystal Palace team.
And Pep Guardiola celebrates as his team go one-nil ahead.
And Foden's involved in the second, another assist.
This time he finds his way to Marmoush.
Really clever finish.
That's two in two for Marmoush.
But the ball comes in from Foden again.
You'll see him in the middle of your picture.
Takes a lovely touch there.
He's trying to take it away from defenders.
Finds his way to Marmoush, and after that, finds his way into the back of the net, and they go two-nil up.
And again, who's involved?
Foden with a first time ball.
Gvardiol with the header.
An outstanding save, I have to say, from Dean Henderson here.
The ball's almost past the goalkeeper.
Gets back there, gets his hand on it, and somehow drags it away from goal.
Then I love this on seve- 73 minutes.
This is Pep.
The game's at two-nil, but City are coasting.
They're not driving on.
And we saw what happened against City at, at Everton where they gave away a lead.
The manager's not happy.
He makes a change.
Marmoush comes off, rrle comes on, and five minutes on the pitch, Ryan rrle just comes up with another moment of, of brilliance from a player who just has so much skill and so much improvisation.
Plays the ball to Savinho.
Savinho gets the goal, and that's Manchester City three, three-nil ahead.
Again, picks it up on the, in the midfield area, drives through, and then the weighted pass here into Savinho is perfect.
The finish even better.
Pep got his reaction.
City got the three points and closed the gap on Arsenal to two.
They did close the gap to two.
They are one ahead on goal difference, so it is between Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola, who can win this title.
Arsenal still in control.
If they win out, they win the title.
First, they need to beat Burnley Monday.
They have, have that at 3:00 PM Eastern.
Next for City, they travel to Bournemouth on Tuesday afternoon.
Let's hear now from Phil Foden and Gvardiol.
Okay, Phil, talk us through assist number one, because we know, like, scanning is a massive part of your one of your best qualities.
How many times are you having to check your shoulder to build a picture so you can do that with obviously not being able to see where the player is?
Yeah, I checked a few times before receiving the ball, and I seen An make a good movement, and it's one of them.
Sometimes it doesn't come off, but, sometimes the risk is, is worth trying and, yeah, very delighted that it came off and, and we scored from it.
Yeah.
Sometimes it doesn't come off, but it must have felt great that it did .
Yeah, obviously buzzing to contribute to a goal and, yeah, help the lads get three points, which is the most important.
Josko, it's a magic moment.
And did you feel at that time, like, the team and the stadium needed it?
I, I don't know if that kind of West Ham-Arsenal game on Sunday kind of knocked the stuffing out of everyone.
But just for half an hour till Phil's moment, it kind of felt like it just needed something and, and obviously this guy delivered it.
yeah, of course we know his quality.
We know how good he is in, small spaces and, for me- Nice to hear, innit?
Yeah, I know, I know it's difficult to talk about yourself, but, you know, he's, he's really good and I like to I, I enjoy to play with him.
so to be fair, I didn't expect, but we know that he's, capable of doing, these things and, as you said, that's exactly something what we needed and, yeah, great assist and, well done, brother.
Nice one, brother.
That's lovely.
Great pass for the second goal as well.
So yeah, the second goal, assist two.
Did you mean it?
it's one of them.
I thought the defender was coming a lot closer, so I tried to just help it on to, Olmo and- So yes?
I did, yeah, but obviously it was a bit scruffy and yeah.
We have to say it.
Do you believe him, Josko?
I do.
I do believe him.
I thought, obviously, the center-back was coming across.
I, I didn't realize I had a little bit more time.
obviously his great pass as well, yeah, made the goal, I would say.
Yeah, and you ne- I mean, this is a bit of a hazy memory for me, but you, you nearly created one for Josko as well.
There was a header, right?
Yeah, a cross and close, weren't it, Josko?
My header?
Your header.
Yeah.
That's still in.
Yeah.
Yeah, it was close, but I- it, it would be too unreal to score a goal in, in my first game, you know?
So since my injury, so yeah, maybe in the next one.
Question kind of for both of you for different reasons.
How tough has it been?
What, in general?
Yeah, just, I mean, I guess the perception is that it's been maybe a challenging season at times for you.
You had a massive purple patch around the end of 2025, but how have you found it?
Yeah, I would say I had a good half a season, first half of the season, and then dropped off a bit, and then I struggled to find my way in the team and, you know, it happens with great players around you, quality players, you know?
when they're more at it than you, they, they're gonna play.
So yeah, I've had to wait and be patient, try and tr- train hard as I can and, yeah, and when you get your moment today, you just have to make the most of it and it's a team game at the end of the day.
if you wanna win titles and, trophies, you know, it's all about a full squad and everyone has to play their part.
So, so yeah.
Josko, for you, working your way back to fitness?Yeah, it hasn't been easy, but, you know, before, I, I, I mean, after I got injured, I just thought to myself, "I'm gonna accept it as a new challenge."
So I'm glad to be back.
feeling good actually.
I wouldn't say that I'm at my 100%, at my best, but, it's normal.
I need games, I need minutes together.
Yeah.
Yeah.
last question to you then, Phil, 'cause you're a veteran of winning Premier League titles.
How do you see this race now, and, and how, how are you looking at it?
Is it just a case of keeping them honest, taking them to the final day where anything can happen?
Yeah, that's it.
just keep pushing and keep keeping them on their toes and, yeah.
We've seen a lot of things can happen on the final day.
I've experienced it many times when the game doesn't go your way.
So, yeah, we just have to keep pushing and doing our part.
Superb today.
Josko, do you mind handing this over?
Of course.
Thank you, my mate.
Thank you.
Well played.
Cheers.
Well done, guys.
Well, plenty of brotherly love between them, and Phil Foden has been part of six Premier League winning teams.
He showed us why today, Matthew.
Yeah, and he shows the manager why maybe he should play a little bit more often, and sometimes you need difference makers.
And things were flat until this happened.
You see it in, in full speed there.
It's quick.
You know, we can break it down with the h- with these highlights and slow motions.
This happens so quick, and that's the difference that he has.
He has the quality to be able to do that and see things.
He's looking again around himself all the time.
Midfield players, creative ones look about what's around them.
Interesting what he said.
He tried to help this ball on.
He didn't try and bring it down for himself, so he knew that Omar Marmoush was there.
Again, instinctively thought this was the right thing to do, a first time ball.
Gvardiol almost creates a goal again.
So it's just a reminder, this, to see the quality of Phil Foden here.
The composure that he has, it's like, wow, this guy doesn't really get in the first team all the time.
You think in that position he would be.
Again, between the lines, between the defenders and the midfield players, he's the best, I think, around at, at kind of gathering the ball when it, it gets played into him.
He really is superb quality in and around the penalty box.
But this is the guy probably that why he hasn't played so much, and Ryan Schurke himself showing the quality that he's got.
And the weight of that ball between players is spectacular.
I mean, Pep's always enjoyed quality technical players, and he's got two of the best right now in the squad.
He certainly does, and that form has put them within two of Arsenal, and as you can see, notably one ahead on goal difference should this come down to tiebreakers.
They will next play in the Premier League, City will, on Tuesday.
Arsenal play against Burnley on Monday.
But before that, City have the FA Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday.
There is a lot to play for at the top half of the table.
Meanwhile, at the bottom half, while it's a close call right now between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, Tottenham were held to a draw against Leeds on Monday.
West Ham have a chance to jump above them when they play next, so Tottenham could be back in the relegation zone before their next Premier League fixture.
Just two remain for everybody.
