LONDON (Reuters) -Kevin De Bruyne struck twice to inspire Manchester City to a dominant 4-2 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday and put the champions level on points with Liverpool near the top of the Premier League table.
With seven games remaining City are on 70 points – the same as the Reds, who visit Manchester United on Sunday, but behind them on goal difference.
Hours after City’s win, Arsenal leapfrogged both teams to go top on 71 points with a 3-0 win at Brighton & Hove Albion.
Stunned by an early goal from Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, De Bruyne equalised with a superb shot. After second-half goals by Rico Lewis and Erling Haaland, the Belgian midfielder added his second. Odsonne Edouard grabbed a late consolation for the hosts.
“It’s just like every other title race. We have to win every game,” the 19-year-old Lewis told TNT Sports. “There’s three teams in it and we have to be the strongest team.”
Mateta had shocked the travelling City supporters with a goal in the third minute, but De Bruyne, who along with Haaland was rested for Wednesday’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa, levelled in the 13th minute with an inch-perfect finish that had manager Pep Guardiola blowing the Belgian kisses.
“I just try to be more of an example with the way I am on the pitch,” De Bruyne said. “I won’t be the person to tell others how to live their lives but I try to show on the pitch.”
Lewis put the visitors ahead soon after the interval, Haaland bagged his 19th goal of the season in the 66th minute from close range and De Bruyne netted his 100th goal for City to keep them in the hunt for a fourth successive league title.
“The main message was to keep on going,” Lewis said. “The chances would come. We needed to get into the box and that’s what we did.”
City keeper Stefan Ortega made an important contribution late in the first half, dribbling the ball out of danger when Mateta nearly got to a reckless backpass from Rodri.
“We watched City and how they pressed high and I scored early against one of the biggest teams in the world,” Mateta told TNT. “In the second half they came back strongly. They are a good team.”
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, editing by Ed Osmond and Hugh Lawson)
