Match ends, Manchester City 4, Crystal Palace 0.
Sergio Aguero scored twice as Manchester City closed the gap at the top of the Premier League by thrashing a lacklustre Crystal Palace side.
After a slow start from the hosts, midfielder Fabian Delph gave them the lead with a long-range drive.
Striker Aguero doubled the advantage with an effort that deflected in off the head of defender Scott Dann.
Aguero finished off a sublime team move and David Silva added a fourth, with Palace winless in five league games.
The Eagles could have gone ahead in the first couple of minutes but defender Damien Delaney headed straight at Joe Hart when free inside the area.
Yohan Cabaye went close late on with an effort that flew narrowly wide, but Palace have now failed to score in their past five league games.
Having started the day in third place, City were briefly top after victory over Palace, but were later overtaken by surprise title challengers Leicester who drew 1-1 against Aston Villa.
Clinical City signal intent
Manuel Pellegrini's side failed to score against Everton in their last league game, and there were concerns over the form of Aguero going into the game.
But the Argentine - who had scored just once in his past five league games - showed his class at a snowy Etihad Stadium, scoring twice and setting up the impressive Silva for another, as the hosts found the net with all four shots on target.
City's third was particularly special, as four players with a value of £141m combined to score - Aguero starting and finishing a move that also involved Silva, Yaya Toure and Kevin de Bruyne.
The Blues have not been beaten in the league since their 2-1 defeat at Arsenal before Christmas and, with Aguero and Silva hitting their stride after injury, are finding form at just the right time.
Eagles falling rapidly
As recently as 19 December - when Palace beat Stoke - there was talk of Alan Pardew's side challenging for a place in Europe, perhaps even in the Champions League.
Then, they had the same number of points as fourth-placed Tottenham, but an alarming slump has seem them drop to eighth in the table.
This was another game in which they failed to score or take a point. Having made a mistake in their defeat by bottom side Aston Villa in midweek, goalkeeper Hennessey was again at fault for City's opener.
Manager Pardew was unhappy with the Welshman's performance - but he has problems at both ends of the field.
Pardew has admitted he needs to bring in a striker in the transfer window, and neither the hard-working Connor Wickham nor the ineffectual Marouane Chamakh forced Hart into a save.
Palace's best chance came in the second minute. Had skipper Delaney scored with his header, it could have been a different story, but their wait for a goal and a point continues.
Man of the match - David Silva
What they said
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini: "Was it comfortable? No, because you never know in this game. The first half, the two goals gave us more space as they've had to go for the draw. That allowed us to use that space and score two more."
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew on the performance of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey: "Wayne is going to have to show me this week in training. A mistake at Villa, he needed to respond today and made another mistake.
"The ball is in his court to keep out the other two goalkeepers but I need to see it in training. I need to see a reaction from him."
What next?
Manchester City travel to West Ham next Saturday (17:30 GMT), while Crystal Palace host fellow Londoners Tottenham (15:00 GMT) on the same day.
The stats you need to know
- Manchester City have netted a league-high 11 goals from outside the box this season, four more than any other side
- Since coming to the Premier League in the summer of 2011, Sergio Aguero has bagged 88 goals, 10 more than any other player
- Kevin de Bruyne has registered 11 goals and 11 assists in 29 appearances in all competitions for Manchester City this season
- Crystal Palace have failed to score in five successive top-flight matches for the first time since February 1998
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Hart
- 5Zabaleta
- 30Otamendi
- 26Demichelis
- 11KolarovSubstituted forClichyat 52'minutes
- 17De Bruyne
- 6Reges
- 18Delph
- 21Silva
- 72IheanachoSubstituted forY Touréat 57'minutes
- 10AgüeroSubstituted forNavasat 85'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Sagna
- 7Sterling
- 13Caballero
- 15Navas
- 22Clichy
- 42Y Touré
- 77Humphreys-Grant
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-5-1
- 13Hennessey
- 2Ward
- 6Dann
- 27Delaney
- 23Souaré
- 11ZahaSubstituted forLeeat 85'minutes
- 18McArthurSubstituted forMutchat 80'minutes
- 7CabayeBooked at 90mins
- 28Ledley
- 42Puncheon
- 21WickhamSubstituted forChamakhat 66'minutesBooked at 71mins
Substitutes
- 1Speroni
- 9Campbell
- 14Lee
- 15Jedinak
- 22Mutch
- 29Chamakh
- 34Kelly
- Referee:
- Jonathan Moss
- Attendance:
- 53,983
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away3
- Corners
- Home5
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away11
Live Text
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Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City 4, Crystal Palace 0.
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Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace).
Booking
Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Nicolás Otamendi (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace).
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David Silva (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace).
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester City. Jesús Navas replaces Sergio Agüero.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Lee Chung-yong replaces Wilfried Zaha.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester City 4, Crystal Palace 0. David Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Sergio Agüero following a fast break.
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Foul by Sergio Agüero (Manchester City).
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Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Attempt blocked. Yaya Touré (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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David Silva (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Joe Ledley (Crystal Palace).
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jordon Mutch replaces James McArthur.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Joel Ward.
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Foul by Gaël Clichy (Manchester City).