Crystal Palace 1-4 Man City: Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland net doubles as Enzo Maresca's reign begins with back-to-back wins
Report and free match highlights as Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland net doubles to seal Enzo Maresca a second straight victory as Manchester City boss; Crystal Palace fall to second consecutive defeat under new boss Pierre Sage
Friday 28 August 2026 22:29, UK
Rayan Cherki did his best Lionel Messi impression, producing moments of pure magic as Enzo Maresca's Manchester City stayed perfect in the Premier League with a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
First, the Frenchman, sporting the same No 10 as the diminutive Argentine legend, weaved through the Crystal Palace defence before poking past a rooted Dean Henderson to double City's lead after Erling Haaland had opened his account with his first of the season and of the game in the opening 45 minutes.
Despite an exciting start in Pierre Sage's first game at Selhurst Park, Haaland towered above Chris Richards to head in the opening goal.
As the applause for Cherki's opener began to fade, Yeremy Pino added to the display of individualism, beating a wall from 25 yards out and curling a free-kick that struck the bar. The ball rebounded off Gianluigi Donnarumma and therefore went down as an own goal for the Italian shotstopper.
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Five minutes after his super solo effort, Cherki decided to take the sting out of Palace's newly found momentum, instantly responding to their goal with an audacious strike that deflected past Henderson.
Though Palace came close throughout, with their finest chance falling to Tyrick Mitchell, who fluffed his lines with a close-range header, Haaland's second, a rasping finish past Henderson late on, ended the contest. Palace stay in search of a first win under new boss Sage.
Maresca's City, meanwhile, made it two from two in the league, producing a dominant scoreline much more akin to what his predecessor would regularly provide.
More to follow...
The key moments from Selhurst Park
7: SCRAMBLE! City so close to going in front! Cherki takes a corner short and it ends up causing chaos in the Palace box.
17: GOAL! Erling Haaland leaps high above Richards to send a looping header over Henderson and into the net from Semenyo's left-wing cross.
21: BIG MISS! Should be two for City. Foden has his head in his hands as he scoops over with only the goalkeeper to beat from inside the Palace box.
28: ANOTHER FODEN MISS! How City are not further ahead, only Foden knows. He's unmarked with the goal gaping in front of him but he gets his header all wrong and Palace are able to clear the danger.
35: BIG CHANCE! What a waste from Palace! No surprise that Wharton is the creator. He's been superb. His cross from the right wing finds Mitchell in a good position but his downward header bounces wide.
54: GOAL! Cherki collects Foden's pass inside the box and jinks his way through a crowd of Palace defenders before clipping a wonderfully delicate finish beyond Henderson with the outside of his boot.
56: GOAL! It's a stunning free-kick from Pino, who curls it up and over the wall and out of reach of Donnarumma. It then crashes off the woodwork, hits the City goalkeeper in the back, and drops over the line.
59: GOAL! A third goal in five minutes, and a second for Cherki. Palace leave him in far too much space in the middle of their half and he drops a shoulder, gets himself into a shooting position, and unleashes a long-range effort which takes a deflection off Richards and whistles into the net.
84: GOAL! Haaland doubles up! Marc Guehi nips in to intercept a Richards pass and feeds Foden, who carries the ball into the box and sets up Haaland.
Cherki: I played so ****!
Man City's Rayan Cherki to Sky Sports:
"My performance was so-so.
"In the first half, we didn't find the space. I played so ****.
"When I see Enzo wants to change me, I don't like that, and I need to show them I want to play, I want to score, I want to give an assist to Erling. Today I didn't give a lot of balls to him but next time I want to give him a lot of balls."
On his first goal: "When Erling didn't get the ball, It's my instinct. I'm very happy for the win today. See you next week."
Erling Haaland interjects: "Just say what you actually mean. You scored two top goals!"
Cherki: "That is nothing. I want to give a goal for him."
Pundit reaction/Analysis...
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp at Selhurst Park:
"Cherki painted a masterpiece with that first goal. He had an amazing effect on the game. He is a genius, the things that he can do with a football. He gives you that X factor."
