{"id":42871,"date":"2023-03-12T18:56:37","date_gmt":"2023-03-12T18:56:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/03\/12\/haaland-penalty-earns-man-city-win-at-palace\/"},"modified":"2023-03-12T18:56:37","modified_gmt":"2023-03-12T18:56:37","slug":"haaland-penalty-earns-man-city-win-at-palace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/03\/12\/haaland-penalty-earns-man-city-win-at-palace\/","title":{"rendered":"Haaland penalty earns Man City win at Palace"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Erling
Erling Halaand has scored 34 goals in 35 games for Manchester City in all competitions this season
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Manchester City maintained the pressure on leaders Arsenal as the Premier League champions reduced the gap at the top to two points with a hard-fought victory over struggling Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n

Pep Guardiola\u2019s side had to remain patient at Selhurst Park but were eventually able to take their opportunity to edge closer to the Gunners, who visit London rivals Fulham on Sunday (14:00 GMT).<\/p>\n

Erling Haaland settled the match from the penalty spot for his 28th goal of the campaign, stroking his 78th-minute spot-kick into the bottom corner after Michael Olise\u2019s late challenge on Ilkay Gundogan.<\/p>\n

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The visitors had been unable to capitalise on a purposeful start, which saw Rodri\u2019s first-time effort force Vicente Guaita into action and Jack Grealish pull a low shot wide after he had darted into the penalty area.<\/p>\n

Haaland, who scored his first Premier League hat-trick in the reverse fixture in August, went closest in the first half, but the league\u2019s top scorer remarkably failed to hit the target following Nathan Ake\u2019s pass into the six-yard box.<\/p>\n

A shot-shy Palace pushed for a late equaliser against a retreating City, but it was to no avail as the hosts went a Premier League record third successive league game without managing a shot on target.<\/p>\n

The defeat extends Palace\u2019s concerning league winless run to 10 matches \u2013 the longest in the division \u2013 and leaves Patrick Vieira\u2019s side just four points above the relegation places.<\/p>\n

For City, the victory is a positive note to begin another crucial week \u2013 with the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against RB Leipzig next before an FA Cup quarter-final against Burnley.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, Arsenal is on an incredible run. Still, we are there,\u201d Guardiola told Sky Sports.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere in the typical winter game, a difficult one, we were there all the time and then we won it.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow we have to do absolutely everything and next Tuesday and Saturday. Hopefully, the Etihad can live one of the best nights we have lived and we can do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n

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