Haaland's Penalty Seals Dominant 3-0 City Rout Over Palace at Selhurst Park

Manchester City secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Sunday, December 14, 2025, boosting their title charge with a clinical performance despite Palace's resilience.

Erling Haaland was the star of the show, netting his 17th goal of the season from a second-half penalty after Savinho was brought down in the box. The Norwegian striker coolly converted, adding to his remarkable record of seven Premier League goals against Palace, including his first hat-trick in the competition back in August 2022.[1]

Phil Foden had earlier doubled City's lead with a stunning long-range strike, picking out the bottom corner after a driving run from Jeremy Doku – referred to as 'Sherky' in commentary – who skipped past defenders to set up the chance. Foden's goal marked his fourth in as many games this season, underlining his rich form.[2]

The third goal came from Haaland's spot-kick, sealing a match that City dominated but which felt closer on the pitch. Crystal Palace, pushing hard, hit the woodwork twice and earned a yellow card for Dean Henderson, but defensive mix-ups proved costly against City's quality.[1][4]

Despite the scoreline, commentators noted Palace remained competitive throughout, making it a confidence-boosting away win for Pep Guardiola's side rather than a straightforward stroll. City showed patience against a talented Palace outfit, maintaining composure to hit 102 goals in all competitions.[1][4]

This result keeps Manchester City firmly in the Premier League title race, with Haaland and Foden's contributions highlighting their attacking depth ahead of a busy festive period.