EPL: Kevin De Bruyne Sparks Man City Comeback; Arsenal Held to Draw by Brentford
Kevin De Bruyne played a pivotal role in Manchester City’s thrilling 5-2 comeback victory over Crystal Palace, while Arsenal’s title hopes took a hit as they settled for a 1-1 draw against Brentford on Saturday.
In his first match at the Etihad Stadium since announcing that he would leave Manchester at the end of the season, De Bruyne showcased his legendary skills, helping City recover from an early 2-0 deficit. Crystal Palace struck first with goals from Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards within the opening 20 minutes. Eze’s initial effort was complemented by Richards’ header from a corner, leaving City fans anxious.
However, De Bruyne ignited the fightback, scoring a stunning free-kick off the post before assisting Omar Marmoush to level the score just three minutes later. The Belgian continued to lead by example, setting up Mateo Kovacic shortly after halftime to complete the comeback.
Goalkeeper Ederson also joined the action, providing an assist for James McAtee to extend the lead to 4-2, before Nico O’Reilly capped off the scoring with a sweet strike. City’s victory propelled them back into the top four of the Premier League, crucial for Champions League qualification.
Pep Guardiola praised De Bruyne’s performance, stating, “He played fantastic and helped us to break this momentum that was not good.”
In contrast, Arsenal’s frustrating draw against Brentford left them ten points behind league leaders Liverpool. Mikel Arteta made notable changes, resting key players like Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard as they prepared for their Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid.
Arsenal initially took the lead when Thomas Partey scored after a swift counterattack, but Brentford quickly equalized through Yoane Wissa, who flicked in Nathan Collins’ header. The result marked Arsenal’s twelfth league draw of the season, complicating their title aspirations.
Liverpool now stands on the brink of securing a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title, with the possibility of clinching it as early as next weekend.
In other matches, Nottingham Forest’s hopes for a Champions League spot faltered with a 1-0 defeat to Everton, courtesy of Abdoulaye Doucouré’s last-minute goal. Aston Villa climbed into the top five after a 3-0 win over relegated Southampton, while Leicester managed to snap a nine-game losing streak, drawing 2-2 against Brighton.
