Pep Guardiola gesture to Etihad fans shows true colours as Man City send clear message

Manchester City are not doing things the easy way this season.

The Blues have stumbled and stuttered their way through a campaign they are trying to rescue with securing Champions League football and lifting the FA Cup.

But at 2-0 down inside the opening quarter and Crystal Palace cutting open the hosts at will, it looked like being another damaging day.

Yet the Blues are still champions for a little while yet and displayed the mentality that had steered them to four in a row to rally.

They were level before the break through Kevin De Bruyne and Omar Marmoush and Mateo Kovacic put them ahead moments into the second half. City dominated from thereon and James McAtee and Nico O'Reilly completed the scoring.

Here's the moments you might have missed from the Etihad.

Pep is never quiet on the touchline. Minutes into the contest, Palace struck first to break the deadlock. The City chief wanted a flag raised as the visitors broke.

Guardiola stood, arms aloft as if he was in the Arsenal defensive line of the early 1990s. For a second he watched, yearned for the flag from the assistant referee. It didn't come.

Guardiola stalked back to the dug-out to consult the monitor. It confirmed the officials' decision. The City boss slapped his hands together. Soon after City were two down.

Twenty minutes later, when Marmoush blasted City level, the boss was down the touchline a few paces imploring the crowd for some noise, raised arms, hand cupped to ear, fingers together gesticulating chatter. He wanted more and he got it.

McAtee disgustedly disposed of some of the turf. It was a chance missed in more ways than one. The City midfielder had just planted a shot over the bar early in the second period. He should have scored, just as