Late penalty rocks Man City as Palace hold champions

MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s Premier League title defense suffered another blow as Crystal Palace fought back from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw thanks to Michael Olize’s last-gasp penalty on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were in command after Jack Grealish put them ahead in the first half and Rico Lewis doubled the lead after the break.

But the champions collapsed in the second half at the Etihad Stadium as Jean-Philippe Mateta reduced the deficit in the closing stages before Olize converted his penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage-time.

It was the fifth time in six league games that Pep Guardiola’s men have dropped points, having also drawn with Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham and lost to Aston Villa prior to last Sunday’s 2-1 win at Luton.

In what was their last match before heading to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup, the result leaves them fourth in the table, three points behind leaders Liverpool, who host Manchester United on Sunday.

City’s bid for an unprecedented fourth successive title is in danger, although Guardiola will remind his players they came from eight points behind Arsenal to snatch the crown late last season.

Once again without the injured Erling Haaland, City dominated the opening stages and Palace ‘keeper Dean Henderson did well to save a fifth-minute Julian Alvarez header.

City’s breakthrough came in the 24th minute when Phil Foden fed Grealish, and he slotted past Henderson for his third goal in as many league games — the effort standing after a lengthy VAR check for offside.

Josko Gvardiol drilled into the side-netting via a touch from Henderson and Foden whipped a shot wide.

City had the ball in the net again seven minutes into the second half when Alvarez’s free-kick