Manchester City secured a 4-1 Premier League victory away at Crystal Palace as Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland each scored twice at Selhurst Park.
The win gives new Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca six points from his opening two league games in charge following an earlier victory at Bournemouth. Palace briefly threatened a comeback through a Gianluigi Donnarumma own goal, but City responded immediately to seal a comfortable win in South London.
Haaland opened the scoring in the 17th minute before Cherki added a quickfire second half double, with Haaland finishing off the scoring five minutes from full time. The result leaves Crystal Palace searching for their first points of the campaign under new head coach Pierre Sage.
Match progression and goals
City made a fast start at Selhurst Park after both managers opted for tactical adjustments before kick-off. Palace benched full-back Daniel Munoz while Maresca named French midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi among the City substitutes. Haaland put the visiting side ahead on 17 minutes with his first goal of the Premier League season, guiding City to a 1-0 lead at the interval.
Cherki doubled City's advantage in the 54th minute following a moment of individual brilliance. Collecting a pass from Phil Foden, the French playmaker jinked through a tight crowd of four Palace defenders before poking the ball past goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Crystal Palace cut the deficit two minutes later when goalkeeper Donnarumma accidentally turned the ball into his own net in the 56th minute. However, Cherki restored City's two-goal cushion just three minutes later in the 59th minute, striking from 25 yards into the far corner via a deflection.
Haaland capped off the victory in the 85th minute by converting a pass from Cherki. It marked the first time Cherki had provided an assist for Haaland since joining the club.
Rayan Cherki performance and reaction
Cherki delivered a dominant individual display throughout his evening in South London. Statistics from the match showed he completed 58 of his 63 attempted passes, took five touches in the opposition penalty area, created three chances, completed three take-ons, won possession three times, and hit the target with all three of his shots on goal.
The French midfielder's performance built on his crucial appearance against Bournemouth, where he provided two assists after coming off the bench. Cherki became only the third player in Premier League history to record a multi-assist match and a multi-goal match across his team's first two fixtures of a season.
Despite his decisive goals, Cherki was self-critical when reflecting on his overall contribution after the final whistle. Speaking to Sky Sports, Cherki said: "My performance is so-so. In the first half, we didn't find the space; I played s***. I need to show them I want to play, I want to score. Next time I want to give the ball around more. No, no, that was nothing. I want to give the ball to him."
Cherki pointed toward Haaland when discussing his desire to set up his team-mate more often. Addressing the ongoing transition following Pep Guardiola's departure, Cherki added: "I'm very happy for the win, see you next week. Pep was a big story, we will start another story. We want to prove it and are here for that. That is the first time he has given me an assist."
Enzo Maresca on Manchester City start
Maresca expressed satisfaction with his team's work rate while acknowledging room for development during his post-match interview. Speaking to Sky Sports, Maresca said: "It is a tough pitch, we knew that before the game. The intensity on the team has been good. We scored four, probably could've scored more, only conceded one. Off the ball we were quite good, struggled for the first 10 minutes. On the ball, tried to put players into a position to attack."
The City boss praised Cherki's defensive contribution alongside his attacking output. Maresca said: "He's helping us and is going to help in the future. We know he's a quality player. I think he was very, very good off the ball and was working very hard."
Maresca also highlighted Foden's tactical adaptation after shifting from the wide areas into central positions. Maresca said: "He's adapting, we know he's not a winger, we're trying to find a solution. When he was inside, you could see he was enjoying it more. The attitude is very good and it's what we need. It's important to start the right way with a new manager. Big change. You can see at the end of the game how happy the fans were. Happy that we get the three points. There are always things that we can do better."
The victory comes amid ongoing discussions over how City will replace influential midfielder Rodri, who remains central to their tactical structure. Maresca has trialled different options in the centre of the pitch, with debates surrounding whether Marc Guehi, Nico O'Reilly, or Bouaddi should fill key midfield roles.
Elliot Anderson midfield role
Summer signing Elliot Anderson earned praise for his composure in midfield during his third competitive appearance for Manchester City. Having faced scrutiny following his high-profile transfer from Nottingham Forest, Anderson dictated the tempo, distributed play effectively, and fulfilled key defensive duties against Palace.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Anderson admitted he felt increasingly comfortable in his new system. Anderson said: "Yeah, I enjoyed it today. I felt more at home today, it's my third game now and I feel like I'm getting better. There's still more to come. I'm always nervous when I go on the pitch but my first outing at the Etihad was pretty special. But it's two wins from two now so I'm pretty happy."
Anderson noted the difference in positional expectations compared to his former role at Nottingham Forest. Anderson said: "I'm loving it. It's a bit different to what I've been used to. I've got to be a bit more structured; that's what I'm learning - to stay in my position when at Forest I was doing a little bit more."
He also expressed admiration for the creative talent alongside him in the City squad. Anderson said: "I'm just sat back watching. I see this every day since I'joined, him, Phil... they've got so much talent. It's no surprise, to be honest. The talent they have is scary."
Pierre Sage and Crystal Palace struggles
Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage voiced frustration with how his side faded during the second half after remaining competitive for over an hour. Speaking to Sky Sports, Sage said: "I think we were able to play 60 or 65 minutes staying in the game but when I made the substitutions, the energy of the team went down, and I'm a little bit angry with that."
Sage noted that defensive lapses contributed directly to City's third goal. Sage said: "We are together. I will stay with my team in every moment. I talked to the players. Today, we existed in this game. We had a lot of chances. I think the 3-1 was a bad thing for us because we made a tactical mistake by not closing inside."
The Palace boss emphasized the need for better execution in front of goal and collective intensity from substitutes. Sage said: "They played between two players, after that they scored. We had a lot of chances but it's difficult to have hope against this kind of team without scoring. When you change players, it's about fatigue, it's about they are tired and you need more energy. I didn't find that. That's why I said to the players that we have to play as a squad and not only as a team."
Palace struggled defensively despite positive early signs, including a prominent opening 20 minutes from midfielder Adam Wharton. The South London side appeared vulnerable in defensive transitions compared to previous seasons, leaving them without points after two matches as City maintained their perfect start.
