Manchester City's 18-game winning run in the Premier League came to an end as Crystal Palace held the Citizens to a goalless draw in Sunday's clash at Selhurst Park.
City were attempting to win their 20th league match of the season, but a battling performance from Palace, who missed a 91st-minute penalty through Luka Milivojevic, saw the Eagles claim an unlikely point to boost their survival hopes.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
Morning all! Sports Mole's live Premier League coverage continues from Selhurst Park as Crystal Palace welcome Manchester City. The Eagles appear to have turned a corner under Roy Hodgson, but did lose 3-2 at home to Arsenal on Thursday night. City, meanwhile, have won their last 18 in the Premier League to storm clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Right, without further ado, let me bring you up-to-speed with the all-important team news from Selhurst Park. Has Hodgson made changes following the defeat to Arsenal? What about City, how many alterations from their clash with Newcastle United on Wednesday night? Let's run through the XIs here...
TEAMS!
PALACE: Hennessey; Fosu-Mensah, Tomkins, Dann, Van Aanholt; Cabaye, Milivojevic, Riedewald; Zaha, Benteke, Townsend
MAN CITY: Ederson; Walker, Mangala, Otamendi, Danilo; Fernandinho, Gundogan, De Bruyne; B.Silva, Jesus, Sane
So there we have it. Palace boss Hodgson has made four changes from the team that started against Arsenal on Thursday night. In come Wayne Hennessey, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Patrick van Aanholt and Jairo Riedewald, with Julian Speroni, Jeffrey Schlupp, Martin Kelly and Ruben Loftus-Cheek dropping out. Christian Benteke, Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha all start for the home team.
As for Man City, Pep Guardiola has made three changes to the team that started against Newcastle on Wednesday night. Eliaquim Mangala replaces the injured Vincent Kompany at the back, while Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus take the places of Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero in the final third. John Stones makes the bench for the visitors, but David Silva is not involved this afternoon.
The two teams are in, and we are just about 45 minutes from kickoff at Selhurst Park. I shall speak about the home side and their recent form a little bit later, but let's start with runaway league leaders City. It really has been quite a staggering 2017-18 campaign for Guardiola's outfit.
City's 1-0 win over Newcastle on Wednesday night was their 18th straight Premier League victory. They have not dropped a single point in the top flight since the second weekend of the campaign, and would move 16 points clear of second-placed Chelsea with a win this afternoon. The title race is over before January has started, and this team looks capable of dominating for a few years.
Not only can City move 16 points clear of second-placed Chelsea with a win here; they would open up a 17-point lead over third-placed Manchester United, which would be quite remarkable. United drew their third straight league game against Southampton on Saturday night, and they are now in a battle for second spot with Chelsea. The title is City's; it is just a case of when they win it.
Not only have City scored more Premier League goals than anyone else (61); they have the best defensive record in the division having conceded just 12 times in 20 matches. Guardiola's side have a perfect away record in this season's Premier League, and will be looking to extend that here.
As for Palace, a total of 18 points from 20 Premier League matches has left the Eagles in 17th position in the table. They are level on points with 18th-placed West Ham, but just two points separates them from 13th-placed Southampton. It is very, very tight in the bottom half of the division.
Entering Thursday's clash with Arsenal, Palace were unbeaten in the Premier League since the start of November. Indeed, a run of eight games without a loss moved them out of the relegation zone. Alexis Sanchez scored twice for the Gunners in a 3-2 win at Selhurst Park, but the scoreline was a touch flattering to a Palace side that struggled to make their mark for long stages of the match.
In truth, it is going to be very difficult for Palace to stop City this afternoon. A defeat would be far from the end of the world, but a positive result would lead them nicely into their trip to Southampton on January 2. Palace will then welcome Burnley, before facing back-to-back trips to Arsenal and West Ham United before the end of the month. Some tasty fixtures coming up!
PREDICTION! I am finding it difficult to predict anything other than an away win this afternoon. I do not think it will be anything silly, but fancy City to claim all the points. Let's say 2-0 to Guardiola's side. Palace have to start well if they are to stand a chance of picking up a positive result here.
Right, the two teams are in the tunnel ahead of kickoff at Selhurst Park. Once the pre-match handshakes have been undertaken and the flags have been exchanged, we will be just about ready to get the action underway. It is Palace against league leaders Man City in the capital. Kickoff is next!
KICKOFF! Man City kick things off at Selhurst Park...
... it must be said that there is a wonderful atmosphere inside the stadium. The Palace fans are up for this one; there is no doubt about that. Zaha has already had the chance to break down the left, but Walker was across to block the former Manchester United attacker. Fast start to the match.
CHANCE! Big chance for the away side as a cross from the left somehow finds Silva at the far post, but his effort just misses the far post. Let-off for Palace there.
Both defences have had some scares in the early moments here. The ball was just bouncing around inside the City box, only for Ederson to come flying through the air to clear with a header!
Zaha does well to evade the challenge of Walker down the left before looking to pick out Benteke, but Ederson is on hand to claim. City, as expected, are bossing the possession, but Palace are looking to counter with pace when given the chance. Good seven minutes of football here.
Palace play a corner short to Cabaye, but the midfielder fires into the stands. Palace really need to make use of any set pieces that arrive in this match because they will not see an awful lot of the ball.
CHANCE! Super chance for the home side as Ederson comes out to clear but gets it all wrong! The ball drops to Benteke, but Mangala makes a very important block!
This is good from Palace as they continue to regain the ball in City's half of the field.
SAVE! Ederson has to push a Van Aanholt strike wide of the City post!
Smart defending from Fosu-Mensah as the on-loan Manchester United right-back deals with the threat of Sane on a counter-attack from the away side. This is a super game of football.
Benteke looks up for this match as the Palace striker continues to battle City's two centre-backs. The visitors have not had too much joy in the final third in the opening 16 minutes of this match.
City have a free kick in a dangerous area as Dann brings De Bruyne to the ground...
... Dann has injured himself making that challenge, and he is still on the deck.
BOOKING! Dann (Palace) has been booked. The centre-back is still on the ground, and the stretcher has been called. He is surely about to be taken off here.
Dann is still on the deck. He will leave the field on a stretcher. Big blow for the home side.
PALACE SUB! Martin Kelly replaces Dann for the home side.
Eventually the City free kick is taken, but Hennessey does well to punch clear. There will be a healthy amount of added time at the end of the first period. Still goalless in the capital.
Decent smart from Hennessey this time as the Palace stopper keeps out Jesus.
Jesus has now gone down! City will also be forced to make a sub here...
... CITY SUB! Aguero replaces Jesus for the away side.
Nearly an own goal from Palace as Tomkins makes contact on a free kick from De Bruyne, but Hennessey is on hand to make the save. The home side then go straight down the other end and Danilo has to clear under pressure from Benteke. Still goalless with 25 minutes on the clock here.
Just a few signs that City are getting to grips with this match as they pass and probe in forward areas. Palace just need to be careful that they do not sink deeper and deeper here.
POST! City come close to taking the lead as Aguero sends one towards the top corner, but his effort is deflected onto the Palace post! That is the closest that either side has come!
The pressure is certainly increasing from the away side as Palace sink deeper and deeper. De Bruyne is the latest player to cause a problem, but Fosu-Mensah does well to block the run of the Belgian. Just a reminder that there will be a good five or six minutes added to the end of the first period.
Benteke rises to meet a free kick from Cabaye, but the striker's header was always wide.
City are dominating the ball - as expected - but City are causing problems on the counter-attack. Zaha is having a fine game down the left, and has just set up Townsend, whose effort was blocked.
This was the incident that saw Jesus pick up his earlier injury...
It is not quite happening for City at the moment as another pass goes astray. De Bruyne has been a little bit off-colour this afternoon, but he will probably still come up with a genius moment here.
Little under five minutes of normal time remaining at the end of the first period, but there will be a good five, six minutes added due to the time that Dann and Jesus spent on the deck. The home side are pretty comfortable at the moment as City continue to lose the ball in forward positions.
De Bruyne has just seriously over-hit another fairly simple pass. He is having one here!
City have the ball in Palace's half of the field as we enter the 45th minute of this match.
We are into the second of six additional minutes at the end of the first period here.
Palace boss Hodgson will be absolutely delighted with his team's first-half performance. City have had the better chances, but it has been an even game for long spells. Aguero has just had another hit of a chance for the away side, but his effort was always bobbling wide of the post.
Quite a scrappy end to the first period as the referee has to intervene following a number of late challenges. The Palace supporters are in wonderful voice as we approach the interval here.
BOOKING! Sane (City) is booked for kicking the ball away.
HALF-TIME: Palace 0-0 Man City
So there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with the two teams level at 0-0. Palace boss Hodgson will be delighted with his team's first-half performance. City have had more of the ball, but clear chances have been few and far between. Great half for the Palace supporters!
STATISTICS! City dominated the possession with 73%, but they only managed one shot on target from six attempts, which is a telling statistic. Palace, meanwhile, failed to hit the target with any of their five attempts. Two yellow cards to report - Dann for Palace and Sane for City late in the half.
BENCH WATCH! City have already been forced into a change, with Aguero taking the place of the injured Jesus. Guardiola, however, still has leading scorer Sterling and Yaya Toure in reserve. As for Palace, Hodgson has also been forced to introduce Kelly for Dann after the centre-back picked up what looked to be a knee problem. Puncheon and Lee are among those still available for the visitors.
RESTART! Palace resume the action here...
... no changes from either side at the break, which is not too much of a surprise. However, I suspect that both managers will have alterations in mind as the second period develops here.
BOOKING! Van Aanholt (Palace) is booked for a foul on Bernardo Silva.
Could this be the match that City's long winning run comes to an end? Palace are more than holding their own at the moment, but there is still a lot of football to be played here.
Not an awful lot to report at the moment as both teams continue to lose the ball in the final third. You do get the feeling that one moment of brilliance might be needed to win this match.
Walker is quick, but Zaha is quicker as the two players continue to engage in a fascinating battle down Palace's left. Cabaye looks to release the winger once again, but Walker does enough on this occasion. Neither side is really in control of the match with 54 minutes on the clock here.
De Bruyne delivers a dangerous free kick into the Palace box, but Fosu-Mensah does well to make the clearance. Sterling is preparing to enter the field for the away side here.
Walker wins his latest battle with Zaha as he pushes the winger off the ball.
CLOSE! Gundogan sends one just wide of the Palace post as he curls one towards the far corner. That may well be his last piece of action as Sterling is ready to enter here.
CITY SUB! Sterling replaces Gundogan for the away side.
Fernandinho fires into the stands after finding space outside the Palace box. Little over 30 minutes of football remaining, and Palace are still holding Man City at Selhurst Park on New Year's Eve.
SAVE! Hennessey is on hand to keep out a close-range Aguero header as City turn the screw. Still a lot of football to be played in the English capital here.
SAVE! Wonderful save from Hennessey as the Palace goalkeeper keeps out Sane, who looked certain to score at the far post. Great goalkeeping once again there!
Palace are really struggling to get out of their own half at the moment as City continue to force the issue. Just a few signs that the home side are starting to feel their legs after putting so much in.
Sterling has been lively since entering the field for the visitors, but Palace are holding firm. Little over 20 minutes of football remaining, and you just sense that something is about to happen here.
BOOKING! Cabaye (Palace) is booked for a foul on Sane.
Palace are so, so deep as City continue to pass and probe in the final third of the field.
SAVE! Hennessey drops down to keep out a deflected effort from De Bruyne.
Pass, pass, pass from City as they look to find a route through. Palace are leaving Zaha and Benteke up, but everyone else is defending. Kelly is the latest player to make a smart clearance as Sane delivers low once again. Bernardo Silva is then flagged offside in the second phase.
Better from Palace in the last couple of minutes as they manage to force a corner, which eases the pressure on their defence. Little over 15 minutes of football remaining in this Premier League clash.
PALACE SUB! Puncheon replaces Cabaye for the home side.
Little over 10 minutes of football remaining, and City have just wasted another opening as Aguero fails to make the most of a pass from Sane. Still 0-0, but will it stay like that? Stay tuned!
CHANCE! Oh my word! Stunning chance for the home side as Townsend finds all sorts of space inside the City box, but he fires over the crossbar! Just had to score from there!
Super defending from Kelly as the Palace defender blocks a strike from De Bruyne.
CITY SUB! Toure replaces Bernardo Silva for the away side.
Palace are so, so deep at the moment as City continue to turn the screw in the final third.
You do get the feeling that there will be at least one more big chance for the visitors in the final five minutes or so. It would be so cruel if Palace conceded at this stage of the match.
Good defending from Van Aanholt as the full-back clears ahead of Sane, who was looking to collect a pass from De Bruyne. The pressure will continue though as the visitors look for the winning goal.
Palace continue to hold strong as Sterling is ruled offside. The home side will take their time!
BOOKING! Toure (Man City) is booked for a foul on Milivojevic.
PENALTY PALACE!
Oh my word! Palace have a penalty as Zaha goes down under a challenge from Sterling!
SAVE! Ederson keeps out Milivojevic's penalty, incredible!
BOOKING! Kelly (Palace) is booked for a foul on Aguero.
What a few moments! It was a terrible penalty, and then City broke clear. Kelly was across to pull Aguero, while Puncheon floored De Bruyne in the middle of the park. Incredible few seconds.
De Bruyne is going to be stretchered off here, while Puncheon is still down.
PALACE SUB! Lee replaces Puncheon for the home side.
Toure sees his free kick blocked, and we are into the final seconds of this match.
FULL-TIME: Palace 0-0 Man City
So there we have it. The referee brings this incredible game to an end with Palace holding City to a goalless draw. The home side almost nicked it from the penalty spot late on, but Ederson made the save. What a game! Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live coverage once again!
