Premier League 2018-19, Crystal Palace 1-3 Manchester City: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

#1 Raheem Sterling's on Fire

The 24-year old English winger has been making ripples on an off the field this season.

Raheem Sterling has been in the form of his life this season. The winger came into this fixture looking to continue his goalscoring exploits that have seen the 24-year old netting 15 times in the league this season. The best ever return for Sterling in his career stood at 18 Premier League goals and 23 in all competitions, just four goals behind his tally this season.

Sterling started the day rather unceremoniously as the 24-year old dragged the shot wide from almost eight yards out after some brilliant play from Leroy Sane and David Silva opened up the Palace defence. The winger though didn't have to wait too long for his first strike as De Bruyne produced an inch-perfect through ball from almost 40 yards out for Sterling to run at before scoring as the winger ran clear of Scott Dann before burying at the back of the net over Vicente Guaita to score his and Manchester City's first goal of the match in the 15th minute of the match.

The second goal though was more about the build-up rather than the finish. It was once again the combination of Silva and Sane that wrecked the Palace defence. The German fired a delightful low across the face of the goal to an unmarked Sterling who cooly poked in his second and Manchester CIty's second of the day in the 63rd minute.

Raheem Sterling could have easily had a hat trick if only the 24-year old winger produced a much better finish than what he did in the 10th minute of the match.