Crystal Palace 0-1 Manchester City

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Sergio AgueroImage source, AP
Image caption,

Sergio Aguero was substituted for the 63rd time in the Premier League

Premier League leaders Manchester City continued their 100% start to the season with an injury-time winner over Crystal Palace.

Nigerian teenager Kelechi Iheanacho stabbed home his first senior goal after Samir Nasri's shot was saved.

After a scrappy first half, Jesus Navas shot wide of an empty net for City after rounding keeper Alex McCarthy.

Sergio Aguero limped out with a knee injury, three days before Juventus's Champions League visit.

Club-record signing Kevin de Bruyne was brought on in his place as a first-half substitute, with managers Manuel Pellegrini and Alan Pardew having a heated argument over the incident.

Palace defender Scott Dann received a yellow card for the late challenge on Argentine Aguero as City spent a large part of the match struggling to create offensively.

A well-organised Palace came closest when Dwight Gayle volleyed wide.

Reaction to this match and the rest of Saturday's action

Read how Man City snatched a late victory here

Who is Kelechi Iheanacho?

The 18-year-old Nigerian striker had previously played three minutes and 49 seconds for Manchester City, in the 2-0 win over Watford.

He came on for Wilfried Bony with a couple of minutes remaining on Saturday and just 54 seconds later was alert enough to tap home a close-range rebound after Alex McCarthy spilled Samir Nasri's shot.

Having signed for City in 2014, from Taye Academy in Nigeria, he impressed on the club's pre-season tours of Australia, Vietnam and Germany.

He played five times, scored twice and could now be considered as City's third-choice striker.

How costly could Aguero's injury be?

Image source, opta
Image caption,

Manchester City dominated possession but the successful passes of Samir Nasri (8), Fernandinho (25), De Bruyne (17), Toure (42) and Navas (15) shows how few balls were played into Crystal Palace's area.

Without the Argentine on the field, City struggled to create many clear-cut chances despite dominating possession, until Iheanacho's late intervention.

Their start to the campaign - five wins from five and no goals conceded - suggests they have the confidence to finally test the best in Europe, ahead of Tuesday's visit of the Italian champions.

Media caption,

Manuel Pellegrini says Scott Dann should have been sent off

But, with Aguero now surely a major doubt and Raheem Sterling missing Saturday with a slight hamstring injury, City could have to rely on Wilfried Bony to show why £28m was paid for the Ivory Coast striker last season.

After the loan departure of Edin Dzeko to Roma, Bony is City's only other out and out forward, although City boss Manuel Pellegrini has hinted Iheanacho could be much more involved this season.

"He's just 18 and started working with our squad last season, but he was unlucky and had a big injury in the last three months of the season," he said.

"This year he started pre-season with the squad and will be a very important player for the future. He's one of the reasons I didn't bring another striker in when we sold Edin Dzeko.

"He deserves that chance."

Is the Premier League City's to lose?

Results in the Premier League so far this season have shown the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have struggled to see off teams they would be expected to beat.

But Manchester City have had no such problems and on Saturday dominated a battling Crystal Palace - who beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last time out.

City are now 11 points clear of champions Chelsea in the Premier League and five ahead of second-placed Arsenal. Far from over but ominous signs for their rivals.

Man of the match: Kelechi Iheanacho

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

The Nigerian forward played just one minute of the match but it was his intervention that maintained City's winning start

Post-match reaction

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Alan Pardew says last minute goal hurts

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew: "Even though we beat Manchester City last season this was a better performance.

"It's a shame about the injury to Aguero because we are not a malicious team. We both knew this was going to be a tough game and it was."

Stats you need to know

  • Manchester City have won their last 11 league matches - a new club record. The top-flight record is 14, set by Arsenal in 2002.

  • City have scored 29 goals during this period and conceded only four times.

  • Manuel Pellegrini's side have not conceded a goal in their last six league games - a new club record.

  • Only 16 of the 40 points accrued by Crystal Palace since Alan Pardew took charge have been won at Selhurst Park.

  • City are only the fourth team to open an English top-flight season with five clean sheets.

  • Iheanacho (18y 344d) is the third youngest player to score for City in the PL after Micah Richards and Daniel Sturridge.

What next?

Manchester City host Juventus in their Champions League opener on Tuesday night, while Crystal Palace travel to Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday.

How social media reacted

Image source, David Silva
Image source, Kelechi
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