Sports丨KDB clicks City into gear ahead of Madrid showdown

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Real Madrid, beware. Manchester City has rediscovered its scoring form ahead of the teams' blockbuster showdown in the Champions League quarterfinals.

▲Photo/Reuters

City hit four goals for the second straight game in the English Premier League, this time overwhelming Crystal Palace 4-2 to stretch its unbeaten streak in all competitions to four months and stay on the shoulder of first-placed Liverpool in the title race.



Best of all for City, Erling Haaland is back among the goals.



▲Photo/Reuters   

And Kevin De Bruyne is back scoring screamers.



City recovered from conceding in the third minute to cruise to victory at Selhurst Park, with De Bruyne equalizing with a curling shot that was so exquisite that City manager Pep Guardiola blew kisses to the Belgium playmaker.



After Rico Lewis put City ahead in the 47th, Haaland scored his first goal in four games for City to earn De Bruyne his latest assist. De Bruyne then buried a left-footed rocket for his second goal to finish off Palace.



"Kevin won the game," Guardiola said. "Without Kevin today, maybe we would not be able to win, so when we talk about tactics, about managers, having players like Kevin in these kinds of games, it's easy.



"The numbers, the presence, the consistency have been amazing. He's one of the best players in the history of Manchester City."



City struggled to create chances in its recent 0-0 draw against Arsenal, a significant setback in its attempt to win the top-flight league for a fourth straight season — a feat never achieved in English soccer's 135-year history.



Since then, City has beaten Aston Villa 4-1 and won at Palace.



Kevin's century



Watching De Bruyne's masterful performance against Palace, it was hard to believe he missed the first five months of the Premier League season recovering from hamstring surgery.



"It has been a very untypical season with the injuries and coming back," De Bruyne told TNT Sports.



"Sometimes I feel good, sometimes I feel a little bit off with my body. I've tried to prepare myself as best as possible. I try to do the job as good as possible and today I did well."



De Bruyne's second goal on Saturday was his 100th in all competitions for City.



"I didn't know that he (De Bruyne) enjoyed scoring goals more than assists but I keep pushing him to say we have to win games. He has won many games for us, no doubt," Guardiola told TNT.



Only Chelsea's Cole Palmer (17) and Liverpool's Darwin Nunez (15) have been involved in more goals in all competitions in 2024 than De Bruyne, who has three goals and 11 assists.



England star Phil Foden had played the hero in scoring a hat-trick in Wednesday's 4-1 win over Aston Villa for which both De Bruyne and Haaland were rested.



Guardiola reckons De Bruyne is primed to have a big influence on the title race.



"He is mentally fresh, for sure. I listen to him on the bus, in the locker toom, train station, laughing," said the City boss. "The body language dictates a lot how he is. All the players but especially Kevin."



The Spaniard was also glad to see Haaland on the scoresheet again after the Norwegian forward had failed to find the net in his previous five games for club and country.



"Strikers need goals," said Guardiola. "We could find him more, especially on the right side. But it's fine. I'm really pleased."

Source: Reuters