Crystal Palace star singled out as Pep Guardiola’s Man City pegged back

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson credits Jean-Philippe Mateta’s counter-attack goal for changing the dynamics in Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Manchester City.

Initially facing a potential third consecutive defeat, Palace found themselves two goals down after strikes from Jack Grealish and Rico Lewis. Mateta’s close-range goal disrupted City’s dominance, setting the stage for a nervy finish.

Hodgson commended on his team’s resilience, especially for Michael Olise’s equalising penalty in added time, securing an unexpected point for the depleted Palace side.

“Michael Olise was posing a few questions with his skill when he got up into that half of the field and I thought Jean-Philippe Mateta was excellent all through the game with his running and holding the ball up,” Hodgson stated post-game.

Olise’s performance was simply majestic for Palace. He has the trickery and ball retention skills to cause top teams problems, and really the underdogs need their flair players to have great performances if they stand a chance to get a result, and Olise did just that.

The 22-year-old completed three of four successful dribbles and was fouled a whopping five times, highlighting his impact on the game. He topped his performance off with a last minute equaliser from the penalty spot.

Hodgson’s tactical decision to deploy a back-five played a crucial role in Crystal Palace’s ability to stay compact and absorb Manchester City’s pressure during the game.

This surprise formation, employed for the first time this season, effectively limited City’s opportunities as much of their possession occurred in front of Palace’s defensive structure. Hodgson’s strategic choice contributed significantly to the team’s defensive resilience throughout the match.