LONDON – Kevin de Bruyne admitted that he was feeling the pressure to perform, after scoring twice and providing an assist in Manchester City’s 4-2 win at Crystal Palace on April 6.

In the process, he reached the 100-goal mark for the champions, who moved level on points with title rivals Liverpool ahead of the Reds’ match against Manchester United on April 7.

De Bruyne, who was taken off in the second half of their 1-1 draw with Liverpool on March 10, led City’s response at Selhurst Park by curling in a beauty to equalise, after Jean-Philippe Mateta had scored a third-minute opener.

After Rico Lewis gave City the lead in the second half, de Bruyne teed up Erling Haaland to end his goal drought.

The 32-year-old Belgian then rounded off an impressive display by smashing in his 100th City goal to make it 4-1, before Odsonne Edouard narrowed the deficit.

De Bruyne said he was feeling the heat after Phil Foden scored a hat-trick in their 4-1 win over Aston Villa on April 3, when Haaland and him were both dropped.

He told TNT Sports: “These guys keep me on my toes. I don’t expect to just be given my place. If I don’t perform well, I won’t play. Foden has been amazing this season so he deserves it, but it keeps me on my toes.”

At Selhurst Park, Pep Guardiola shuffled his pack again, three days ahead of their trip to Real Madrid for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Foden was dropped to the bench alongside Manuel Akanji, Bernardo Silva and Jeremy Doku, with John Stones, Oscar Bobb, de Bruyne and Haaland named in the starting line-up.

Stones, who was making his return after being injured on England duty in March, showed that he was still rusty. His errant pass was pounced on by Adam Wharton, who released Mateta to fire in off the post.

The goal awoke City from their slumber with de Bruyne at the heart of most of their threatening attacks.

Only a brilliant save by Dean Henderson denied Rodri a quick reply.

But the visitors were level within 10 minutes of falling behind as de Bruyne curled in a stunning strike into the top corner.

There was little doubt over the outcome once Lewis pounced on some slack Palace defending from Jack Grealish’s deflected cross to make it 2-1 on 47 minutes.

Grealish was also involved in their third goal as he picked out de Bruyne, whose cross was touched in by Haaland.

The Norwegian had failed to score in 12 of his previous 17 games on his return from a foot injury that kept him out for two months.

Having curled one in with his right foot, de Bruyne then blasted in a piledriver with his left to make it a century of goals in 372 games since joining City in 2015, before Edouard turned in Jeffrey Schlupp’s cross.

City manager Guardiola told TNT Sports that de Bruyne won the game for them.

“In the first half, we did mistakes but we made a comeback and de Bruyne won the game with his actions, his assists, his goals and everything. We won the game with him,” said Guardiola.

“I keep pushing him to say we have to win games. He has won many games for us, no doubt. It was really good for his performance.”

Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who over only in February, said: “When we lose 4-2, I don’t like to talk about positive things, but in phases of the game we could compete.”

Meanwhile, Aston Villa’s hopes of clinching a top-four spot took a hit after they were held 3-3 at home by Brentford.

Villa led through goals by Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers before the Bees made it 3-2 with strikes by Mathias Jorgensen, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa. Watkins then salvaged a point in the 80th minute.

Fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur can rise to fourth if they beat Nottingham Forest on April 7. REUTERS