Crystal Palace tactics
Alan Pardew conceded in advance that his side were going to have less possession, despite playing at home. The Eagles boss still expected his team to hurt Manchester City, primarily by breaking forward quickly in a 4-3-3 formation, with the pacy front-three spinning in behind the City defence.
First they had to defend with numbers behind the ball in a 4-5-1 formation. Yannick Bolasie led the defending as a lone striker, with Wilfried Zaha and Bakary Sako tracking back with City’s full-backs to deal with the threat from wide areas.
James McArthur stepped forward from the base of midfield to join Jason Puncheon in quickly closing down City’s central midfielders in order to deny them the space to comfortably build attacks.
Yohan Cabaye completed the five in midfield by working just in front of defenders, where McArthur frequently dropped to join him.
City like to commit forward in numbers so after gaining possession, Palace had the option of exploiting the space left behind with Sako and Zaha making runs behind City’s full-backs.
Bolasie had to use his pace to make runs down the sides of City’s centre-halves to attract service in behind. Those runs also dragged Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala out of position, which created space through the middle for Puncheon.
When Palace had good possession, Cabaye and McArthur took turns to drop between splitting central defenders and collect the ball before starting patient attacks. The holding midfield pair then alternated in pushing forward to support the forwards, with Pape Souare and Martin Kelly adding width by pushing beyond the halfway line.
Manchester City tactics
David Silva and Raheem Sterling missed out through injury, so Manuel Pellegrini opted for a 4-4-2 formation with Sergio Aguero and Wilfried Bony up top.
The City boss still expected his side to monopolise the ball and keep play in the offensive half, before creating chances through patiently worked attacks.
Bacary Sagna and Aleksandar Kolarov supplied width by pushing into the offensive half from full-back positions, while Kompany and Mangala held a high line to push play into Palace’s half.
In midfield, Fernandinho remained as the holding midfielder, which allowed Yaya Toure to dictate play by pushing forward. Jesus Navas kept the width down the right flank to to link up with Sagna before providing service to the strikers. Samir Nasri drifted infield from the left flank to affect the game by floating centrally.
Up top, Aguero and Bony worked as a partnership, with the Argentinian frequently dropping into pockets of space between the lines to help link up play. Bony worked off the shoulder of Palace’s central defender Brede Hangeland, where he used his strength to hold the ball up with his back to goal.
When City were out of possession they adopted their usual high-pressing defensive approach in a 4-4-2 formation. Aguero and Bony led the defending by engaging the hosts’ central defenders in an attempt to win possession back early.
In midfield, Nasri pulled out wide to press from the left, while Navas supported that high pressing on the right. Toure and Fernandinho double-pivoted in front of the defensive line to protect the back-four.
Key tactical changes
Crystal Palace overwhelmed City with a high tempo start in the opening 15 minutes. Pardew’s men did not score during that fast start, so Pellegrini’s charges wrestled control of the game and gradually started dominating possession.
The Citizens had to switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation after Aguero came off with a knee injury. Kevin De Bruyne roamed centrally in the number 10 role, where he frequently switched positions with Nasri.
With an extra midfielder, City were clearly on top in the second-half so Pardew tried to settle for a point by stiffening his midfield. Palace completed the game in a 4-5-1 defensive formation, with Mile Jedinak and McCarthy as defensive midfielders sitting just in front of the back-four.
Cabaye pushed to the top of a central midfield triangle, while Zaha and Lee Chung-yong completed the five-man midfield as wide midfielders tracking back with City’s full-backs. Dwight Gayle offered a threat in behind City’s high line as a lone striker.
City pinned Palace in the offensive-third for most of the second-half, but they hardly tested Alex McCarthy because there were no runners to stretch play. Pellegrini’s players struggled to increase the tempo in the final third. Fortunately for them, Kelechi Iheanacho nicked a late winner.
