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Crystal Palace 2-1 Manchester City: Glenn Murray and Jason Puncheon pile on the misery for Manuel Pellegrini as Manchester City's title defence falters at Selhurst Park...

                                                                                                                               

Alan Pardew is convinced that British managers do not get the credit they deserve when they beat the best teams in the country. Read on, Alan, read on.

On nights like this you have to hand it to him because he is on to something after his Crystal Palace team crushed the defending champions with a performance that will reverberate across Europe.

In a season that started with Newcastle and will end in mid-table with Palace, Pardew has toppled Manchester City (twice), Tottenham (twice), Chelsea and Liverpool. 

Glenn Murray wheels away after scoring the opening goal for Crystal Palace while Joe Hart appeals for an offside flag that never came

Murray celebrates his goal as Manchester City players Joe Hart (second left) and Bacary Sagna (third left) throw their arms up in frustration

Vincent Kompany complained vociferously about Murray's goal, but had to trudge back with his City team-mates after the goal was given

Murray celebrates, after checking for a flag, as his goal put Palace ahead in the 34th minute, despite City having dominated

Hart has no chance as the ball dips into the corner, beyond the England No 1's despairing dive, doubling the Palace lead at Selhurst Park

Puncheon celebrates his brilliant free kick which cleared the City wall and dipped into the bottom corner of the net to make it 2-0

Julian Speroni dives in vain as Yaya Toure's shot flies past him from the edge of the box to put City back in the game with 10 minutes to play

Toure is congratualted by his team-mates as City hurried to get the game restarted as they searched for an equaliser late on

It is a special achievement for an English manager, a man who was eventually run out of town after four years at St James’ Park.

If City sack their coach Manuel Pellegrini at the end of the season, which they surely will do after this troubling defeat, they could do worse than turn to Pardew. Why not? He has something about him.

The Holmesdale Fanatics, those chuntering fans who sing non-stop at Selhurst Park, have christened their manager ‘Pardiola’ after winning seven of their last 11 Premier League games after his return.

Pardew has got something special going here, on a mesmerising run with this Palace team after goals from the enterprising pairing of Glenn Murray and Jason Puncheon put them 2-0 ahead.

Sergio Aguero scored his 18th of the season when he deflected Yaya Toure’s 78th-minute strike beyond Julian Speroni, but this night belonged to this Palace team.