Kevin de Bruyne helped Manchester City stage a superb comeback from 2-0 down as he scored one and helped create two goals in an emphatic 5-2 win over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday.
Palace went 2-0 up in the first 21 minutes through Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards at the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola's side were in danger of suffering a major setback in their bid to reach the Champions League.
But, in his first home match since announcing he will leave at the end of the season, captain 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.
De Bruyne netted a free kick from 25 yards out in the 33rd minute and sent in the cross that led to Omar Marmoush's strike three minutes later.
De Bruyne assisted as City took the lead through Mateo Kovacic 80 seconds into the second half, and James McAtee doubled their advantage from keeper Ederson's long ball.
After 12 substitute appearances, McAtee marked his first Premier League start for City with a goal in the 56th minute.
Nico O'Reilly added City's fifth in the 79th minute as the champions provisionally climbed to fourth in the table, two points ahead of fifth-placed Chelsea who have played a game less.
City goalkeeper Ederson had a day to remember as he provided an assist for a goal for the fourth time this season before being forced off with a muscle injury in his right leg.
The Brazil international appeared to injure himself making a routine pass out from his area. He bent over in pain and was soon receiving treatment, before being replaced by Stefan Ortega in the 71st minute.
Fifteen minutes earlier, Ederson had delivered a long pass over Palace's defence toward McAtee, who went round goalkeeper Dean Henderson and converted into an empty net to give City a 4-2 lead.
It was Ederson's fourth assist this campaign and the seventh of his Premier League career - the most by any keeper.
After the match, manager Guardiola applauded the fightback by the team, and the leadership shown by De Bruyne.
"I would say we played really good all game. We were 2-0 down and we created a lot and I said at half time we were playing good," the manager told BBC Match of the Day.
"Our momentum was sparked with a free-kick from Kevin and after that we played a really good game considering we were 2-0 down and considering how Crystal Palace have been in the past games.
"The Kevin we have known for many years. I know he's struggled the last year and a half. He's free without pain and completely different. The way we played helped him a lot with incredible runners, the young lads, the full-backs."
It was a significant game for another reason as semi-automated offside technology was being used in the Premier League for the first time this weekend. The technology was used to disallow a third goal for Palace after Eze had finished another flowing move.
