Man City taking opposite approach to Arsenal in title race after Crystal Palace win

Manchester City haven't always enjoyed their visits to this isolated part of the capital. There have been some grinds in south London for them over the years and Crystal Palace have posed a threat at the Etihad too.

On Saturday they never actually looked like scoring, but for then 75 minutes neither did City. It was proof in point of why this team is yet to produce a winning run longer than three games in the Premier League.

But for better or worse they found a way in this game. Kind of. In truth, it owed an awful lot to a lackadaisical bit of play from Michael Olise. Palace switched off to a City short corner and the winger was unable to stop himself as he tried to close down the suddenly-free Ilkay Gundogan, bringing him down for a penalty that would have infuriated Patrick Vieira.

READ MORE: City player ratings vs Crystal Palace

But the dogged, often dour, 1-0 win might have just built a little more belief in the City ranks. It was a performance and a team selection that hinted at why they won't win the league, but a result that suggested why they just might.

Pep Guardiola probably felt he had little option to play four centre-backs in this team and John Stones and Nathan Ake have played as full-backs this season, but at times it felt like a team with four central defenders on the pitch. There weren't enough options, not enough runs from deep, not enough speed and incision.

They came away with three points, however, and maybe the sense that things are beginning to fall into place. They will need to play a lot better to extend this winning run much further, but if Arsenal's comeback against Bournemouth was evidence of why they might win the league, then this was a case in point as to why it might be City. The