Crystal Palace 0-0 Manchester City: 5 talking points

#1 Point key for Palace in battle for survival; City extend lead at the top by 14 points

Crystal Palace v Manchester City - Premier League

Crystal Palace are once again engaged in battle at the wrong end of the table and this point may prove to be more than worth its weight in gold when it comes down to the business end of the season in May.

City had won 18 games on the trot – a Premier League record - and no one would have batted an eyelid if they had swatted Palace on their way to a 19th victory.

However, the hosts were an able match in both attack and defence and this performance should lift their spirits going into the second half of the season.

Puncheon and Roy Hodgson can thank their lucky stars for not going a man down; the Palace man should have seen red for his rash tackle on de Bruyne.

On this evidence, Palace are certainly capable of staying afloat, provided lady luck and injuries don’t ruin things unexpectedly.

At the top of the league table, City extended their lead over second-placed Chelsea by 14 points at the end of matchday 21. They may not have looked invincible but they have remained unbeaten this season bar a single loss away to Shakhtar in the Champions League.