Manchester City continued its flawless start to the Premier League with a 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Friday. The win, secured at Selhurst Park, leaves City atop the table with six points from two matches.
Key performances
Erling Haaland, last season’s top scorer, opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a precise header. French midfielder Rayan Cherki then exploded onto the scene, scoring twice within a five‑minute span. His first goal came early in the second half after weaving through Palace defenders and finishing from close range. Two minutes later, Cherki added a second, capitalising on a deflected shot from just outside the box that wrong‑footed goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Palace managed to pull one back when Yeremy Pino’s free‑kick struck the post and rebounded off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into the net. However, the home side quickly restored their two‑goal cushion.
Comments from the players
Despite celebrating his first Premier League brace, Cherki described his performance as “so‑so,” explaining he feared being substituted and wanted to prove his worth to new coach Enzo Maresca. “When I saw Maresca wanted to change me, I didn’t like that, so I had to show I wanted to play and score,” he said. He added, “With Pep Guardiola we had a big history. Now we have started another story. We have to prove that every week, and we are here for that.”
Haaland sealed the win with a left‑footed strike six minutes from the final whistle, cementing City’s dominance.
Palace perspective
Crystal Palace remain winless after two games. Midfielder Adam Wharton reflected on the defeat, noting the team needs more time to adapt to new manager Pierre Sage, who took over in June. “We had good moments but didn’t test their keeper enough. It’s a disappointing result, but we are working every day to implement the gaffer’s style of play,” Wharton said, adding optimism for improvement next week.
The result underscores Manchester City’s early season momentum and sets the tone for the upcoming fixtures as they aim to maintain their unbeaten run.
Original reporting: KSAT Sports (San Antonio) — read the source article.
