Rayan Cherki Double Leads Manchester City Rout at Palace

Rayan Cherki scored twice as Manchester City produced a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, with Erling Haaland adding a brace in a dominant Premier League display on Friday. Cherki’s performance came after he had been left out of the starting line-up for City’s opening 2-1 victory against Bournemouth, when he supplied two assists after coming off the bench.

The 23-year-old France playmaker seized his opportunity from the start against Palace, scoring City’s second and third goals after Haaland had opened the scoring. Gianluigi Donnarumma’s own goal briefly gave Palace hope, but Cherki quickly restored City’s control before Haaland completed the result late on.

For City, the victory removed any need for the late drama that had decided their opener against Bournemouth. For Palace, it marked a second successive defeat under new manager Pierre Sage following his close-season arrival.

Cherki turns his chance into a decisive display

City began with Marc Guehi restored to centre-back against his former club after being used out of position in midfield against Bournemouth. Nico O’Reilly filled the central midfield role alongside Elliot Anderson, who was looking to improve on his debut performance in the previous match.

Anderson had an early opportunity after a corner created a scramble in the Palace area, with both him and Haaland seeing efforts blocked. Haaland made the breakthrough in the 17th minute, meeting Antoine Semenyo’s cross with a header that rose above the Palace defence and beat goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

Phil Foden then passed up two opportunities to extend the lead. First, he scuffed wide after Anderson’s pass, before miscuing a header from close range when Cherki found him inside the six-yard box. Cherki was also denied before the interval when Henderson repelled his low drive.

Palace had a chance to respond shortly after the restart, but Eddie Nketiah’s finish was wayward. City then took firm command through Cherki in the 54th minute. Foden’s driving run set up the playmaker, who moved past three Palace defenders before placing his finish into the far corner.

Palace appeared to have found an immediate route back into the contest two minutes later. Yeremy Pino’s free-kick struck the post and rebounded into the net off Donnarumma’s back, reducing the deficit through an own goal.

Any prospect of a Palace revival lasted only moments. In the 59th minute, Cherki struck from the edge of the area, his fierce effort beating Henderson’s outstretched hand to restore City’s two-goal advantage. The double underlined the quality that City had seen from Cherki after he entered as a substitute against Bournemouth.

Haaland completes the 4-1 result

Haaland capped the win in the 84th minute. Foden’s pass split the Palace defence and the striker drilled his effort beyond Henderson from an acute angle, sealing a 4-1 result and his first goals since changing his hairstyle to a close-cropped look last week.

The match also featured a late debut for teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who joined City from Lille this week and came off the bench in the closing stages. City had earlier come from behind against Bournemouth through late goals from Guehi and Josko Gvardiol, but their trip to Selhurst Park was settled through Cherki’s influential contribution and Haaland’s finishing.

Cherki had entered the match with a point to make after his absence from the opening starting line-up. His two goals, following his two assists from the bench in the previous fixture, ensured that City left south London with a comprehensive victory.