Raheem Sterling says Manchester City knew that they had to be on their game from the first minute at Crystal Palace, after recent meetings with the Eagles.
City beat Palace 3-1 thanks to Sterling's brace and a Gabriel Jesus strike to make the game safe after Luka Milivojevic's goal for the hosts.
City were in control for much of the game, but were always wary of the threat from Palace - who beat the Blues in the reverse fixture in the Premier League in December.
Palace also held City to a draw last season at Selhurst Park, and Sterling admitted the team were well aware of the threat the opposition could pose them if given the opportunity.
Sterling said after the game: "We always knew coming here and in the past it’s a difficult place to come. We got two goals but knew we could switch off.
"One slight switch off and we conceded a foul and they scored a goal so that’s what it’s like coming here, they pushed and made it difficult. Just really glad to get the third goal in the end."
Selhurst Park was also the location of Liverpool's title collapse in 2014 before Sterling had moved to he Etihad from Anfield.
"Coming here is always difficult, especially so late in the season," he continued.
"A few games to go we know how tough an opponent they can be. We knew we had to be on it from the first minutes. So we were."
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City bounced back from a midweek defeat to Spurs in the Champions League, but Sterling dismissed the relevance of the setback.
He said: "It’s one game that we’ve lost, not like we’ve been on a bad run.
"But that’s how hight the standards are here and how high the standards we set for ourselves. We knew we had to bounce back straight away and we've got a massive game this week."
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