Haaland Double Seals City's 3-0 Win at Crystal Palace
Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City beat Crystal Palace 3-0 at Selhurst Park, a result that left Palace fifth in the Premier League table, eight points behind City.
The Norwegian striker's brace — his latest in what has become a familiar habit against Palace — did the damage, with Phil Foden adding the third. It was the same scoreline City produced when these two sides met at the Etihad Stadium on 13 May 2026, when Haaland also scored twice in a 3-0 win, according to Crystal Palace's official match report.
That May fixture had been rearranged from an earlier date, with the new date confirmed in an announcement on 28 April 2026. City's own match report noted that the 3-0 win reduced Arsenal's lead at the top of the Premier League to just two points.
For Palace, the defeat was a setback in what had been a promising start to the 2026/27 season. Oliver Glasner's side opened their campaign with a 2-0 win away at Everton in matchweek one — a clean sheet and three points on the road, the kind of opening that breeds optimism.
Against City, that optimism ran into a familiar wall. Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson was rated 7 out of 10 in the BBC Sport player ratings, recognised for early saves from Anderson, Semenyo and Cherki that kept the score respectable in the opening exchanges. Without those stops, the margin could have been wider.
Midfielder Adam Wharton also earned a 7 from the BBC, praised for his composure, vision and passing range — the qualities that have made the 22-year-old one of Palace's most reliable operators in the centre of the pitch. In a team chasing the game against superior possession, Wharton's ability to keep the ball moving mattered, even if the result never truly turned.
This fixture has not been kind to Palace for some time. The December 2025 meeting — also at Selhurst Park — ended in the same 3-0 scoreline, with Haaland again scoring twice and Foden once more on the scoresheet, according to Manchester City's match report. Go back further and City put four past Palace in a 4-2 win at Selhurst Park in April 2024, as recorded in Palace's match report.
City, meanwhile, are still finding their feet after a bruising start to the new campaign. They were beaten 3-0 by Arsenal in the 2026 Community Shield on 16 August, according to City's match report — a result that sharpened the focus on Pep Guardiola's side heading into the league season.
For Palace fans, the pattern is clear even if it stings. Their team can beat Everton away and hold their own in stretches against the best. But City, and Haaland in particular, remain a problem they have not yet solved.
