Promotion-chasing Manchester City had to be content with a point as Steve Coppell's Eagles fought all the way in a pulsating draw at Selhurst Park.

Bob Taylor headed the Blues in front on eight minutes but Palace recovered in style and Clinton Morrison levelled on 27 minutes for his 11th goal of the season.

City have now picked up six points from their last three games as they battle it out with promotion rivals Ipswich for an automatic promotion spot.

The Blues started at a cracking pace and after only 55 seconds Mark Kennedy broke down the right, slipped inside and unleashed a left foot shot which flew a whisker past the post.

Fraser Digby then saved from Kennedy before City inevitably went ahead on eight minutes. Kennedy was again involved in the action with a left-foot shot that struck the post and Danny Tiatto was first to the rebound on the left. His deep cross found Taylor unmarked at the far post and he headed past Digby with ease.

The Eagles started to have a good spell themselves. Simon Rodgers had a volley saved by Nicky Weaver and the City keeper was in brilliant action again as he tipped over Fan Zhiyi's 25-yard free-kick.

Weaver then denied Wayne Carlisle before Palace drew level on 27 minutes. Rodgers' corner seemed to come off a City defender in a crowded goalmouth before Morrison applied the final touch with a close-range header past Weaver.

After the break the action continued end to end although the Blues enjoyed more of the possession. For Palace, Carlisle shot just wide of the post while at the other end Tiatto fired weakly and wide of an open goal.

Hayden Mullins fired a 15-yard shot past the post and McKenzie also wasted a useful opportunity.

Both City and Palace were going flat out for the three points. Jamie Pollock shot wide from 10 yards while Jeff Whitley wasted two chances he could well regret.

In the dying minutes Weaver made three saves in the space of 60 seconds, denying Mikael Forssell twice and Liam McKenzie but no team really deserved to lose a magnificent match which fully deserved the ovation from Palace's biggest crowd of the season - 21,052.

Teams:

Crystal Palace: Digby, Austin, Zhiyi, Linighan, Cole, Carlisle, Mullins, Rodger, McKenzie, Forssell, Morrison.

Subs Not Used: Woozley, Rizzo, Martin, Mautone, Hankin.

Goals: Morrison 27.

Man City: Weaver, Edghill, Wiekens, Jobson, Granville (Wright-Phillips 72), Kennedy, J. Whitley, Pollock, Tiatto, Peacock, R. Taylor.

Subs Not Used: Horlock, Dickov, Wright, Grant.

Booked: Edghill, Jobson.

Goals: R. Taylor 8.

Att: 21,052

Ref: K Lynch (Kirk Hammerton).