By Abubakar Ojima-Ojo
Manchester City stormed back from two goals down to thrash Crystal Palace 5-2 as Kevin De Bruyne’s masterclass kept alive their top five challenge on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side were in danger of suffering a major setback in their bid to reach the Champions League after goals from Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards put Palace in control at the Etihad Stadium.
But, in his first home match since announcing he will leave at the end of the season, De Bruyne stole the show with the kind of dynamic display that made him one of the Premier League’s all-time greats before his recent injury-plagued decline.
The Belgian midfielder, who has been at City since 2015, netted to spark the revival before Omar Marmoush equalised late in the first half.
Mateo Kovacic converted De Bruyne’s assist to put City ahead after the interval and goals from youngsters James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly sealed the stirring escape act.
The only concern for Guardiola was an injury to Ederson that forced the City keeper to come off in the second half.
Guardiola said this week he was optimistic City would qualify for the Champions League because their “spirit” is back after a troubled campaign.
City had dropped out of the top five after Newcastle’s win at Leicester on Monday, but this much-needed victory lifted them into fourth place.
Although City are back in the Champions League places, they are still not in control of their own destiny.
Fifth-placed Chelsea will go back above them if they beat struggling Ipswich on Sunday, while sixth-placed Newcastle are only two points behind and have two games in hand.
Guardiola could have been in an even worse position however after his creaky defence was ruthlessly exposed in the sixth minute.
Daniel Munoz’s pass sent Ismaila Sarr racing down the flank to deliver a low cross that Eze finished with ease at the far post.
City were in disarray at the back and Oliver Glasner’s men punished them again in the 21st minute.
Ederson failed to make contact with his attempt to punch clear from Adam Wharton’s corner and Richards muscled in front of Ruben Dias to head home from close-range.
Semi-automated offside technology — being used in the Premier League for the first time this weekend — disallowed a third goal for Palace after Eze had finished another flowing move.
De Bruyne is a shadow of the player who was so instrumental in City’s run of six titles in seven seasons.
But the 33-year-old rolled back the years to inspire City’s fightback, serving notice with a ferocious 25-yard strike that cannoned back off the post.
Unlucky not to score minutes earlier, De Bruyne reduced the deficit in the 33rd minute, lashing a thunderous free-kick past Henderson via the post.
City suddenly had all the momentum and Marmoush hauled them level in the 36th minute.
De Bruyne’s header from McAtee’s cross reached Ilkay Gundogan, whose sliced effort reach Marmoush to drive in his seventh goal since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt in the January transfer window.
City’s comeback was complete two minutes into the second half as Kovacic capped a swaggering raid.
Gundogan and O’Reilly combined to find De Bruyne and his pass was perfectly weighted for Kovacic to drill past Henderson from 20 yards.
After 12 substitute appearances, McAtee marked his first Premier League start for City with a goal in the 56th minute.
Ederson launched a high punt downfield and McAtee sprinted through the statuesque Palace defence, rounded Henderson and tapped into the empty net.
O’Reilly capped the demolition with his first league goal for City in the 79th minute as the 20-year-old volleyed home from the edge of the area.
