What a win for Patrick Vieira.
Returning to where he ended his football career and began training, he showed why some believe he will one day be home.
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After drawing in six league games, he was set to score a second win to go through two defeats.
But not far from Champaign, not 2-0 not in such a great way.
Nobody had that in their backlog.
This was supposed to be a celebration of everything that was great about Pep Guardiola as he celebrated his 200th league game for City.
Of those 146 wins, but now he can add 29 defeats.
Chelsea fans who were already celebrating the 3-0 away win over Newcastle had other reasons to celebrate as Liverpool drew at home as well.
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The palace was excellent, superbly organized, and brilliant in defense.
In Wilfried Zaha they had a front man who gave a class leadership lesson.
He scored the opening goal in the sixth minute and forced Aymeric Laporte to red card in the first half of stoppage time as he wrestled on the ground.
Then, in the 88th minute, he caught the ball in the City box and placed it in front of Michel Ulisy, who shot Conor Gallagher in the second minute. Wonderful.
What a start to a palace as they took that shock early.
Laporte shivered and the ball was taken away from him by Zaha who fed Gallagher and got the ball back.
Passing his way into the penalty area, he fired an angled shot into the far bottom corner.
She didn’t have that much power on her but enough to dodge Ederson who slowed down on it.
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The city was obliged to respond but found the palace in a flexible form.
Rodri hit a direct shot at goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.
As usual, Kyle Walker was advancing from the right-back position to the right flank but every cross he fired into it was met and rejected.
Gabriel Jesus was putting himself in his shoes but two efforts were assigned and he began to release his frustration on Zaha, with whom he tangled twice.
A City that usually shares a telepathic relationship between players has been along the wrong wave.
Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden misread each other’s intentions and lose the ball.
Bernardo died right out of play. Guardiola was looking dazed.
It will only get worse with Laporte’s red card in the first half of stoppage time.
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Despite his objections, it was worth it, and VAR Lee Mason concurred with Andre Marriner’s referee.
A big kick from goalkeeper Guaita headed Odson Edward and Laporte wrestled Zaha to the ground as he tried to reach it.
Laporte was the last guy, Zaha could have passed the goal, so he’s out.
The growing turmoil between players at either end of the field would then extend with a push after the half-time whistle resulting in another card, this time yellow, for goalkeeper Ederson.
In coping with being a man at the bottom, Guardiola has gone to three at the back.
That quickly changed when he ousted the ineffective De Bruyne and brought on John Stones, returning to 4-2-3.
Seeming to have instant payoff within seconds, the Stones played a ball looking at the top of the back and found by Phil Foden.
His cross pass to the far post was perfectly judged so that Jesus could get into it and advance into the air connected to an elongated boot to guide the ball home.
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However, it went to the VAR and Foden was judged to be an offside when the ball was played.
The city continued to blow but could not blow up the palace.
Guardiola’s frustrations began to grow as fourth official Anthony Taylor was forced to listen to one of his rants at length.
Meanwhile, Ballas and Director Vieira have been a quiet picture as they go about their task as time goes on.
Gallagher tried to increase the progression of turning the Stones this way and that before his shot was blocked by Ederson.
Guardiola played the last hand with Rahim Sterling and Riyad Mahrez with Grealish and Joao Cancelo.
The palace will be the one who scored again.
Michael Ulis who just came ran the ball forward and found Zaha.
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The Palace striker did a great job catching the ball and waiting for the main ball to be supplied.
He rolled it across the box to Olise who touched it to fire Gallagher with his right hand upright.
Ayoub, you have done really well.
