On a sun-soaked afternoon at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City delivered a performance that echoed their championship pedigree, roaring back from a 2-0 deficit to crush Crystal Palace 5-2 in a Premier League thriller on April 12, 2025. At the heart of this electrifying comeback was Kevin De Bruyne, the 33-year-old Belgian maestro whose brilliance earned effusive praise from manager Pep Guardiola. With his departure from the club looming at season’s end, De Bruyne’s masterclass was a poignant reminder of his irreplaceable genius, leaving fans savoring every moment of his final campaign in sky blue.
The match began disastrously for City, who found themselves two goals down within 21 minutes. Crystal Palace, buoyed by their eight-game unbeaten streak, struck early through Eberechi Eze, who tapped in after a slick move down the right. Moments later, Chris Richards headed home from a pinpoint Adam Wharton corner, exposing City’s defensive frailties. “I was wondering ‘What’s going on here?’” De Bruyne admitted post-match, capturing the shock that rippled through the stands. A third Palace goal by Eze was disallowed for a tight offside call, a decision that proved pivotal as City began their fightback.
De Bruyne, captaining the side, refused to let the game slip away. In the 33rd minute, he ignited City’s revival with a stunning free-kick from 25 yards, curling it through a gap in the wall to beat Dean Henderson. “It was important to score as quickly as possible and change the feeling of the game,” he said, reflecting on the momentum shift. Three minutes later, his header set up Omar Marmoush to level the score, erasing Palace’s lead before halftime. The Etihad erupted, sensing the tide had turned.
City emerged for the second half with ferocious intent. Just 80 seconds in, De Bruyne showcased his vision, swiveling past three defenders to lay off a precise pass to Mateo Kovacic, who rifled home from the edge of the box. “The performance of Kevin is what he has done for many, many years,” Guardiola marveled, lauding his captain’s ability to seize control. In the 56th minute, goalkeeper Ederson joined the party, launching a long ball that caught Palace’s high line napping. James McAtee, on his first Premier League start, rounded Henderson to make it 4-2, prompting gasps at the audacity of City’s resurgence. “Ederson can kick it dead far,” McAtee quipped, crediting the keeper’s fourth assist of the season—a record for a Premier League goalkeeper.
The rout was completed in the 79th minute by 20-year-old Nico O’Reilly, whose volley deflected past Henderson for his first Premier League goal. “We could have scored eight or nine,” Guardiola declared, pointing to City’s 21 shots and nine on target. The stats underscored their dominance: 68% possession and 30 touches in Palace’s box dwarfed the visitors’ nine. Palace manager Oliver Glasner, frustrated by his team’s collapse, admitted he erred in substituting Jean-Philippe Mateta at halftime, noting the striker “lost too many duels.”
De Bruyne’s display—capped by a goal, an assist, and a standing ovation when substituted in the 87th minute—was a love letter to City fans. “The gratitude I have for him is huge,” Guardiola said, acknowledging the Belgian’s decade of excellence. With 71 goals and 121 assists in a City shirt, De Bruyne’s legacy is secure, but his focus remains on the present. “I want to go away with a Champions League for this team because they deserve it,” he said, eyeing a top-five finish to secure European football next season. City’s victory propelled them to fourth, two points ahead of Chelsea and Newcastle, though both have games in hand.
The match wasn’t without blemishes. Ederson’s injury-enforced exit raised concerns, and City’s early defending drew scrutiny. Yet, the narrative belonged to De Bruyne, whose pain-free form after a hernia-plagued year has restored his magic. “He’s free without pain and completely different,” Guardiola noted, crediting the team’s young runners for amplifying his impact. As City chase Champions League qualification and an FA Cup semi-final looms, De Bruyne’s valedictory tour promises more unforgettable moments. For now, the Etihad faithful cherish a performance that rolled back the years, proving that even in his twilight, their captain remains peerless.