Manchester City continued their perfect start to the Premier League season with an impressive 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring during the first half, giving City the advantage before the break. Palace had moments where they threatened to create problems, but City’s control of possession and ability to move the ball quickly made it difficult for the hosts to build sustained pressure.
The second half completely belonged to City, with Rayan Cherki emerging as the star of the night. The French midfielder doubled City’s advantage with a brilliant individual effort before scoring again shortly afterwards. His movement, close control and confidence in possession caused Palace major problems.
Palace managed to pull a goal back through an own goal, briefly giving the home supporters hope of a comeback. However, City never appeared particularly concerned. Their attacking quality continued to create opportunities, and Haaland eventually scored his second goal to complete a convincing 4-1 victory.
The performance was particularly encouraging for City’s new-look side. There were questions surrounding how quickly the players would adapt to life under new manager Enzo Maresca, but the opening two league matches have produced two victories.
Cherki’s performance will attract much of the attention. The midfielder looked dangerous throughout the match and demonstrated exactly why City invested heavily in his talent.
Haaland also sent a strong message by getting his first goals of the campaign. With City’s attack beginning to click, opponents will already be concerned about the level the team could reach once their understanding improves further.
For Palace, the defeat was disappointing, particularly after competing well during parts of the opening period. City simply had too much quality after the interval.
