Rayan Cherki delivered a dazzling performance that evoked the very essence of Lionel Messi, turning a routine Premier League fixture into a showcase of pure artistry as Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City maintained their unbeaten start with a commanding 4-1 victory at Selhurst Park. The French winger, donning the iconic No.10 jersey that once belonged to the Argentine maestro, slithered through Crystal Palace’s defensive lines and calmly slipped the ball past a bewildered Dean Henderson, extending City’s lead. This goal followed Erling Haaland’s opening strike, which marked his first goal of the campaign. The match began with a burst of excitement in Pierre Sage’s inaugural appearance as Palace manager.
Haaland, towering over Chris Richards, rose above the defender to head the ball into the net, giving the visitors an early advantage. The goal set the tone for a game that would soon become a highlight reel of individual brilliance and tactical nuance. Soon after Cherki’s opener, Yeremy Pino added his own touch of flair.
From 25 yards out, he curled a free‑kick over a well‑organised wall, only for the ball to strike the post and rebound. The rebound fell to Gianluigi Donnarumma, whose inadvertent touch turned the effort into an own‑goal, further widening City’s margin.
Not content to let Palace gather momentum, Cherki struck again just five minutes later. After Palace had found the net, the Frenchman unleashed a daring, deflected shot that again found the back of Henderson’s net, reinforcing his growing influence on the match.
Crystal Palace threatened intermittently, with their most promising chance coming from Tyrick Mitchell, whose close‑range header lacked precision and failed to trouble the City goalkeeper. Meanwhile, Haaland completed his brace with a powerful, rasping finish late in the game, sealing the final scoreline. The defeat leaves Palace still searching for their first win under Sage’s stewardship.
Maresca’s side, now two wins from two league fixtures, displayed a level of dominance reminiscent of the standards set by his predecessor, delivering a result that reflected both tactical discipline and individual sparkle. Beyond the on‑field action, the broadcast highlighted the importance of using the Sky Sports app for Premier League coverage and recommended Chrome for optimal video playback. The match’s key moments were broken down in a series of timestamps: - 7 minutes: Cherki’s short corner creates chaos in the Palace box, almost leading to an early goal. - 17 minutes: Haaland leaps above Richards to head a looping cross from Semenyo into the net.
- 21 minutes: Phil Foden misses a clear chance, his head over the ball as the goalkeeper stands idle. - 28 minutes: Another Foden miss, this time a mis‑directed header despite being unmarked. - 35 minutes: Palace’s Wharton delivers a precise cross to Mitchell, whose header sails wide. - 54 minutes: Cherki receives a pass from Foden, dribbles past multiple defenders and finishes delicately with the outside of his boot.
- 56 minutes: Pino scores a spectacular free‑kick that curls over the wall, rebounds off the woodwork, hits Donnarumma and rolls over the line. - 59 minutes: Cherki nets his second of the night, a long‑range effort deflected off Richards that whistles past Henderson. - 84 minutes: Haaland doubles his tally after Marc Guehi intercepts a Richards pass and feeds Foden, who sets up the Norwegian striker.
In post‑match interviews, Cherki described his own performance as "so‑so" and admitted the first half felt cramped, saying, "In the first half we didn’t find space. I played poorly. When I see Enzo wants to change me, I don’t like that, and I need to show I want to play, I want to score, I want to assist Erling. Today I didn’t give him many balls but next time I’ll provide more." He added, "When Erling didn’t get the ball, it was instinct.
I’m very happy with the win. See you next week." Hauntingly supportive, Haaland chimed in, "Just say what you actually mean. You scored two top goals!" to which Cherki modestly replied, "That is nothing. I want to give a goal for him." Manager Enzo Maresca praised his side’s resilience, noting the difficulty of the Selhurst Park surface but emphasizing the team’s control and intensity: "It is a tough ground.
We knew it before the game. You saw it in the first few minutes. Then we took control. The intensity, the desire of the team has been very good." Maresca also highlighted Cherki’s impact, "He’s helping us now and will help us in the future.
We know he’s a quality player – two assists against Bournemouth, two goals today. He was excellent off the ball, controlled Wharton’s movements and worked very hard." Regarding Phil Foden, Maresca explained, "He’s adapting a little bit wide. He’s not a natural winger, but we’re finding solutions. In the last ten or fifteen minutes when he was inside, you could see he was enjoying it more.
His attitude was very good and that’s what we need." Palace manager Pierre Sage reflected on his side’s performance, expressing frustration at the loss of energy after substitutions: "We played well for 60‑65 minutes, but when I made the changes the team’s energy dropped, and I’m a bit angry about that. Both with myself and the subs – we’re together in this.
I spoke to the players; we had many chances but made a tactical mistake by not closing down inside. They played between two players and then scored. It’s hard to have hope against a team like this without scoring.
When you change players, it’s about fatigue; you can’t replace tiredness with less energy. We’re late in pre‑season, so I thought substitutions were necessary, but they didn’t solve the fatigue issue." Sage also defended Daniel Muñoz’s involvement, stating, "Before the game I told you if he was with us today, it’s because he is here.
Same answer after." Sky Sports analyst Jamie Redknapp summed up the night, "Cherki painted a masterpiece with that first goal. He had an amazing effect on the game.
He is a genius, the things he can do with a football. He gives you that X‑factor." Overall, the match served as a reminder of why Manchester City remains a benchmark in English football: a blend of tactical acumen, individual brilliance, and the capacity to turn ordinary fixtures into unforgettable spectacles.
Cherki’s performance, in particular, will be remembered as a highlight of the early season, offering fans a glimpse of the magic that can still emerge in the Premier League.