By Sachit Subba • Football • Aug 29, 2026 03:04 AM • 62 views
Rayan Cherki is not modest. He scored two goals and won man of the match, yet still went to the mixed zone to assess his own game, calling it "so-so". Manchester City's fans, watching their team win 4-0 away to Crystal Palace, would have seen it very differently.
The 4-1 final score benefited only City. Erling Haaland gave them the lead in the first half with a straightforward goal. For this striker, routine has long looked effortless. Palace stayed level on the scoreboard until Cherki changed the game.
He sped up in a way Palace's defence could not match. He cut through the crowd, moved past several players, and scored with a left-footed shot that beat Dean Henderson and caught the visitors — and much of the ground — by surprise. That was the sort of goal City had paid Olympique Lyonnais about €40 million for two summers ago, a goal that makes the fee worthwhile in one move.
Palace pulled one back, and for a short while there was a flicker of a comeback, but it did not last. Cherki struck again almost immediately, ending Palace's hopes of a comeback. Late on, Haaland scored a fourth, sealing the match and taking his tally to two for the day. It also gave City their second consecutive league win to start the campaign.
The context matters here. In their opening match of the season at home to Bournemouth, City didn't win easily: they fell behind before recovering, with Cherki setting up both goals. On Friday, he changed that. He scored twice and added the directness City had lacked in parts of the previous week.
Cherki, however, was not in the mood to celebrate. "My performance was only average. In the first half we couldn't find any space, and I played poorly. I have to show them that I want to play and that I want to score. Next time I'd like to get the ball moving more," he said, dismissing the night in which he scored two goals.
The new manager, Enzo Maresca, is not likely to reach that conclusion. Haaland presented the victory as proof the team is still finding its stride after a short pre-season. "The pre-season has been rather brief. Rayan was at the World Cup five weeks ago," Haaland said. He added that they would gradually return to form, even if it took a few games, and said their good performance came from the team's continuity. "We played well, even though this is a new manager. We've been playing together and have a few new players as well; we know what to do and must have confidence in the system."
There was also a reference to the club's recent history. "Pep was a major talking point. We'll begin another story," Haaland said, mentioning Pep Guardiola's departure. "We want to show it and are here for that."
After two games, there have been two wins, and the forward line is already looking good—even if Cherki himself isn't ready to say so.
