Man City just delivered the loudest statement of the new Premier League season. Traveling to Selhurst Park on Friday, Enzo Maresca’s side put four goals past Crystal Palace in a 4-1 demolition that leaves the Cityzens with two wins from two games and Palace staring at back-to-back defeats to open their campaign.
Erling Haaland Sets the Tone Early
It took just 17 minutes for Manchester City to find the breakthrough. Antoine Semenyo swung in a dangerous cross from the right, and Erling Haaland rose above Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards to power a header down and past goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
It was Haaland’s first goal of the 2026-27 season, and it set the tone for everything that followed. Palace had shown flashes of promise before the goal, with Yeremy Pino causing problems in the final third, but City’s cutting edge told the story.
Rayan Cherki Steals the Show With a Stunning Brace
If Haaland opened the door, Rayan Cherki kicked it wide open. Five minutes into the second half, the Frenchman glided through the Crystal Palace defense with the kind of composure that had Selhurst Park holding its breath, poking the ball past a rooted Henderson to double City’s advantage. It was a moment of pure individual brilliance and an early signal that Cherki is settling into life at the Etihad in style.
Palace briefly threatened a comeback when Yeremy Pino curled a stunning free kick from 25 yards that beat the wall and struck the crossbar, only for the ball to cannon off goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and trickle in for an unfortunate own goal. For a few minutes, Selhurst Park roared with belief that a real fightback was on.
That belief did not last long. Just three minutes after Palace pulled one back, Cherki responded instantly, curling a powerful strike from outside the box into the top corner to restore City’s two-goal cushion and complete his brace. It was the kind of ruthless response that has defined Manchester City for years, and it snuffed out any hope of a Palace revival almost before it began.
Haaland then put the finishing touches on the rout in the 84th minute, latching onto a pass from Phil Foden and thumping a left-footed strike into the near post to seal his own brace and make it 4-1. Foden finished the afternoon with two assists, quietly pulling the strings behind City’s front two.
A Statement Win for Enzo Maresca’s New Era
This result matters beyond the scoreline. Manchester City are trying to move forward from the Pep Guardiola era, with Enzo Maresca now firmly in charge after his summer appointment. Two wins from two matches is exactly the kind of start City fans wanted to see, and performances like this one at Selhurst Park suggest the squad has bought into the new manager’s approach quickly.
For Crystal Palace, the picture is far more concerning. Under new boss Pierre Sage, the Eagles have now lost their opening two Premier League matches of the season, following a defeat to Everton with this heavy loss at home. Palace showed moments of quality through Pino and Daichi Kamada, but they were simply outclassed by a Manchester City side operating on a different level in the final third.
What This Result Means Going Forward
Manchester City will take enormous confidence from this performance as they continue building momentum early in the season, while Crystal Palace face a swift response before the pressure starts to build on Sage. With Haaland and Cherki both finding scoring form together, City’s attack looks every bit as dangerous as it did under Guardiola, and Selhurst Park witnessed exactly why they remain among the favorites to challenge for major honors this season.
