Manchester City 0-2 Crystal Palace: Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher hand Eagles surprise win over ten-man City

Wilfried Zaha's early goal and Conor Gallagher's late finish gave Crystal Palace an unlikely, but deserved, victory over Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

Gallagher set up Zaha for his goal, first winning the ball in the City half then playing the winger in and though he scuffed his shot aimed well enough to beat Ederson.

Then in the closing minutes, Michael Olise raced down the right flank before playing in Zaha, who as the chance was closed down calmly waited to play the ball back to the substitute and he quickly teed up Gallagher who slammed home off the post.

City's task was made harder by Aymeric Laporte's sending off just before half time when he pulled down Zaha after being turned 35 yards from goal.

Though enjoying their customary domination of possession City did not create a wealth of chances, but were unlucky when VAR ruled Phil Foden offside just before he produced a sublime dink with his right foot to the back post for Gabriel Jesus to score on the hour mark.

There were many who were dubious about how good Patrick Vieira would be as manager of Crystal Palace this season (hand raised here). Coming in for Roy Hodgson is normally not the worst move as he leaves a stable system of play, which with a little loosening here and there can lead to good results. However with the turnover at Selhurst Park over the summer, the Arsenal legend's task was made a lot more difficult.

Crucially, he brought in two centre backs who seem worthy of playing for any side in the league in Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi. Although happy to defend for large parts of this game, Vieira has also expanded the manner of the Eagles' approach resulting in a more enjoyable game style for Zaha and his fellow strikers.

They have been so unlucky in consecutive games against Brighton, Arsenal and Newcastle to draw rather than win and this result should not have been such a surprise given the quality of their play in recent matches.

Like Gulliver's adolescent abode, it feels like we must keep altering the ceiling for Conor Gallagher in terms of the player he can become. First he seemed like the 2020s Robbie Savage - and he still maintains those pesky traits which make him so unpopular to opposing fans. His performances this year for Palace have shown he is better than this though and at the Etihad on this Saturday afternoon he was more impactful than any other midfielder on the pitch.

It no longer seems he is purely in the shop window for Chelsea. He could command a place in their midfield next season and despite the gluttony of talent in the English midfield, he could also see action in the World Cup next year. In a team full of players who prefer to run with the ball at their feet his unselfish work rate would be a good counterweight.

Manchester City: Ederson 6; Walker 5, Dias 6, Laporte 4, Joao Cancelo 6; Rodri 7, De Bruyne 6, Bernardo Silva 6, Jesus 6, Foden 6, Grealish 6.

Subs: Stones 6, Mahrez 6, Sterling 6.

Crystal Palace: Guaita 7; Ward 7, Andersen 7, Guehi 8, Mitchell 6; Kouyate 6, McArthur 6, Gallagher 9*; Ayew 5, Zaha 8, Edouard 6.

Subs: Benteke 6, Schlupp 6, Olise 7.

6' GOAL FOR PALACE! Their first attack, Zaha won the ball then played the ball to Gallagher who drove at the heart of the City defence and then played it back into the left hand side of the area to Zaha and though he did not get the best contact he angled his effort wide of Ederson and into the net.

45+2' RED CARD! A massive call from the referee. Laporte was turned by Zaha after a pretty innocuous flick on from a goal kick and received a red card. He was 35 yards from the goal but Zaha would have been free to run at goal.

60' GOAL FOR CITY! Jesus scores after a wonderful assist from Foden, playing now in the left wing he got behind Ward then cut back in and dinked with his right foot over the Palace defence where Jesus at the back post angled a volley home.

61' GOAL RULED OUT! The goal is disallowed for Foden being a slither offside from the initial ball. Always seems so harsh when that close.

88' GOAL FOR PALACE! Zaha squared for Olisse who teed up Gallagher to hit a rocket home off the post from 12 yards.