Manchester City fought back from two goals behind to thump Crystal Palace 5-2 as Kevin De Bruyne’s masterclass preserved their top-five push.

Pep Guardiola’s team were threatening to take a significant blow to their chances of qualifying for the Champions League after Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards’ goals gave Palace a hold at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

De Bruyne Shines in First Home Match Since Announcement

But, in his first home match since announcing he would leave at the end of the season, Kevin De Bruyne stole the show with the kind of dynamic display that made him one of the Premier League’s all-time greats before his recent injury-plagued decline.

The Belgian midfielder, who has been at City since 2015, netted to prompt the revival before Omar Marmoush equalised late in the first half.

Kovacic, McAtee, and O’Reilly Seal the Comeback and Ederson’s Injury

Mateo Kovacic turned Kevin De Bruyne’s pass to send City in front after the break and strikes by teenagers James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly wrapped up the dramatic getaway performance.

The sole worry for Guardiola was the injury to Ederson that had the City goalkeeper forced off during the second half.

Pep Guardiola Confident Despite Champions League Fight

Pep Guardiola said this week he was confident that City would make the Champions League because their “spirit” has returned after a problematic campaign.

Manchester City had fallen out of the top five following Newcastle’s victory at Leicester on Monday, but this victory, which was desperately needed, took them up into fourth position.

City are again in the Champions League spots but still not masters of their own fate. Fifth-placed Chelsea will return above them if they defeat struggling Ipswich on Sunday, while sixth-placed Newcastle are just two points adrift and have two games in hand.

Defensive Troubles Exposed Early in the Game

Pep Guardiola might have found himself in an even more precarious position after his rickety defence brutally exposed itself in the sixth minute. Daniel Munoz passed to Ismaila Sarr, who sprinted down the flank and delivered a low cross that Eze easily finished at the far post.

Manchester City were in shambles at the back and Oliver Glasner’s side punished them once more in the 21st minute. Ederson had no contact on his attempt to punch clear from Adam Wharton’s corner and Richards pushed ahead of Ruben Dias to nod home from close range.

Semi-automated offside technology being implemented in the Premier League for the first time this weekend ruled out a third Palace goal after Eze had completed another elegant move.

Crystal Palace Leads But Manchester City Respond Strongly

Manchester City immediately had all the initiative and Marmoush dragged them back on level terms in the 36th minute. De Bruyne’s nod from McAtee’s cross went to Ilkay Gundogan, whose wayward effort was enough to make Marmoush drive home his seventh strike since joining the club from Eintracht Frankfurt during the January transfer window.

City responded two minutes into the second half when Kovacic completed a swaggering run. Gundogan and O’Reilly linked up to play De Bruyne in, and he delivered a perfectly weighted pass that allowed Kovacic to drill past Henderson from 20 yards.

Following 12 substitute appearances, McAtee registered his first Premier League Manchester City start with a goal in the 56th minute. Ederson drove a high punt downfield and McAtee rushed past the Palace statuesque defence, bypassed Henderson, and stroked into the empty net.

O’Reilly sealed the demolition with his first league strike for City at the 79th minute after the 20-year-old volleyed from the edge of the arena.