Manchester City 5 (Bony 22’, de Bruyne 44’, Iheanacho 59’, Toure 76’, Garcia 90’) Crystal Palace (Delaney 89’)
The Capital One Cup has lost its last representative from the capital. Crystal Palace were left flying the flag for London but they encountered a northern powerhouse in the shape of Manchester City, and were duly dispatched from the competition.
Alan Pardew had overseen City’s elimination last season, when his Newcastle side won at the Etihad Stadium, but the sequel had an altogether sorrier ending for the Palace manager. Wilfried Bony, Kevin De Bruyne, Kelechi Iheanacho, Yaya Toure and Manu Garcia secured a fifth win in six games for Manuel Pellegrini’s team, and the 2014 winners remain on course to regain this trophy.
City had failed to find the net for the first time in 23 games in Sunday’s uneventful Manchester derby.
They returned to scoring ways within the opening quarter of the game, though the comparative drought could have been ended as early as the second minute, courtesy of Scott Dann. The Palace centre-back failed to control the ball on his chest, presenting it to De Bruyne, who surged clear. The Belgian’s shot, angled across Wayne Hennessey, was directed beyond the far post.
When the breakthrough came, another Palace defender was culpable. As Aleksandar Kolarov curled in a corner, Adrian Mariappa lost Wilfried Bony to such an extent that the striker was able to stoop and head in. It was his third goal in October but just a fifth in a nine-month, stop-start City career. Sergio Ag?ero’s absence, which is set to span seven games, is giving the Ivorian a first extended run in Manuel Pellegrini’s team. If the returns so far have been decidedly mixed - and Bony was substituted after ineffectual displays against Sevilla and Manchester United - this offered the opportunity to display greater potency. He could have had a second goal before half-time, with Kolarov again the supplier, but scuffed his shot and Hennessey clung on to it.
Instead the lead was doubled by a more recent, and rather pricier, signing. De Bruyne has proved impressively productive since his £54m arrival from Wolfsburg in August. His sixth strike for City was rendered simple by the excellence of Kelechi Iheanacho. Picked out by Pablo Zabaleta, the youngster skipped clear and calibrated his cross perfectly to allow De Bruyne, arriving unseen at the far post, a tap-in.
Displaying quick footwork, a wide passing range and bounding enthusiasm, the 18-year-old Iheanacho exerted an influence. This was his maiden start for City, but Palace could consider themselves forewarned. Iheanacho had scored a minute into his debut against them last month. His selection was a populist gesture by a manager who has rarely trusted in youth, even if Pellegrini may have been compelled to pick the teenager by a lack of attacking alternatives. Aguero and David Silva are among a quintet of players who remain sidelined, while Fernandinho was suspended.
Raheem Sterling was alone in being rested altogether but, with four fit centre-backs, Pellegrini had the luxury of choice in the middle of the defence. It meant Vincent Kompany’s return to the starting 11 lasted a solitary game as Eliaquim Mangala and Martin Demichelis came in. Zabaleta, who returned at right-back, made his mark in typically committed fashion. He and Yannick Bolasie thudded into each other when contesting a header, meaning each needed his scalp bandaged. The Argentinian ripped the dressing off while chasing the Congolese minutes later.
Bolasie had spurned two chances to open the scoring, heading over and failing to fool Willy Caballero with his dancing feet. Yet Joe Hart’s understudy presented Palace with a chance to halve the deficit, spilling Jordon Mutch’s cross to Joe Ledley, who ought to have scored but blazed over.
Palace were frustrated again when Wilfried Zaha felt he was fouled in the penalty area. Pardew had words with the referee, Paul Tierney, as they left the field at half-time.
If the officials irritated him, Bony provided a reprieve, skewing a shot embarrassingly high over the bar after a surging run from the purposeful Fernando. It was a miss that had the potential to prove costly, particularly considering Caballero’s capacity to offer Palace hope with his inability to deal with crosses. He came for, and missed, Mutch’s free-kick, and Mile Jedinak’s header would have crossed the line but for Demichelis, sweeping up on the line behind the errant goalkeeper.
While City were trying to regain their poise, Zabaleta tackled Zaha and collapsed in agony. The City right-back was carried off on a stretcher, seemingly with a serious knee injury. His colleagues provided the right sort of response.
Bony sent De Bruyne through on goal and, though Hennessey excelled to claw his shot away, De Bruyne delivered a low cross and Bony dummied to allow Iheanacho to double his career total of goals with an assured finish.
It meant City were able to rest the overworked De Bruyne and give summer signing Patrick Roberts a home debut. Before he touched the ball, Damien Delaney wrestled Eliaquim Mangala to the ground, Tierney pointed to the penalty spot and Toure scored. Delaney then reduced the arrears with a header the wretched Cabellero ought to have saved before the substitute Garcia added his first City goal.
– Guardian Service
