Manchester City strengthened their early-season charge with a 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park as Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki each netted twice to secure Enzo Maresca a second straight league win.
City’s attacking firepower on show
City took the lead through a headed finish from Erling Haaland in the first half, a strike that set the tone for a dominant afternoon. The contest was settled inside the opening hour when Haaland and Cherki combined clinical finishing with moments of individual magic, the latter producing a solo run and composed finish that drew comparisons with the very best.
Chelsea-born Cherki, wearing the No 10 shirt, wove through Palace’s rear-guard before sliding a finish beyond Dean Henderson to double City’s advantage. Palace briefly threatened momentum, but City’s response was immediate and emphatic.
Key moments and turning points
Palace’s own goal swung the scoreboard further in City’s favour. A 25-yard free-kick from Yeremy Pino struck the woodwork and then rebounded off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the ricochet credited as an own goal, making it 3-0. Palace did muster a response and had opportunities to reduce the deficit, Tyrick Mitchell among those who came closest, but a late Haaland strike extinguished the hosts’ hopes of a comeback.
- Final score: Crystal Palace 1-4 Manchester City
- City scorers: Erling Haaland (2), Rayan Cherki (2)
- Palace goal: Own goal by Gianluigi Donnarumma (from Yeremy Pino’s free-kick rebound)
For Palace, the defeat represents a second straight loss since Pierre Sage took charge, leaving the new manager still searching for a first win at Selhurst Park. For City, it was a statement of intent — one more commonly associated with Pep Guardiola’s sides — produced under Maresca’s fledgling stewardship.
What the numbers say
| Team | Goals | Notable scorers |
|---|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | 1 | Own goal (Donnarumma) |
| Manchester City | 4 | Erling Haaland (2), Rayan Cherki (2) |
City’s performance blended individual brilliance with ruthless efficiency. Haaland’s first was an emphatic header that capitalised on aerial superiority, while his second — arriving late in the game — was a rasping finish that removed doubt and underscored his ongoing importance to City’s attacking blueprint.
Cherki’s contribution was the headline for many neutral observers. The Frenchman produced moments that hinted at a rare talent: a dribble and finish sequence that will be replayed for days. His ability to change a game single-handedly gives Maresca an intriguing option in the creative line-up as the season unfolds.
Implications and next steps
Two wins from two mean Maresca’s tenure begins without a blemish and with all the early-season momentum managers crave. City will take confidence from a clinical display that married individual invention with game management. Palace, meanwhile, face questions over defensive organisation and finishing in the final third as they attempt to arrest a worrying start under new leadership.
The result will be dissected by both camps in the coming week. City travel onwards with belief that their squad depth and attacking variety can maintain a title challenge, while Palace must regroup quickly to prevent an early-season slump turning into a longer-term problem.
Beyond the headline scorers, the match provided a reminder of football’s thin margins — a free-kick off the bar becoming an own goal, an inspired solo run turning the tide. For Maresca and his players, it was a tidy morning at Selhurst Park; for Pierre Sage and Palace, a lesson in how quickly a fixture can turn from promising to painful.
