Haaland And Cherki Dazzle As City Swat Palace—But The Maresca Makeover Isn’t Finished

• Haaland and Cherki both at the double in a ruthless 4-1 at Selhurst Park
• City make it two wins from two under Enzo Maresca
• Defensive and midfield balance still not fully convincing

Haaland The Hammer, Cherki The Spark

Four goals, two statement cameos, and a Friday night that reminded everyone Manchester City still have bite. In just his second competitive match, Enzo Maresca watched his side dismantle Crystal Palace 4-1, with Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki sharing the goals and the spotlight.

Palace began with purpose, pressing high and unsettling a slightly jittery City. But the moment City found their groove, the difference in quality was glaring. A superb early cross was met by Haaland, who guided a deft header beyond Dean Henderson to settle nerves and set the tone.

After the break, Cherki turned a tidy performance into a match-winner’s display. First he darted through two challenges and finished smartly after being slipped in by Phil Foden. Minutes later, he let fly from range and, via a helpful nick, had his second. Palace briefly roared back through a fine free-kick that cannoned off the woodwork and in via the City keeper for 2-1, but the visitors simply shifted up a gear. One more slick move, one more clinical Haaland strike, and that was that.

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Bright Start, Big Questions

It’s two wins from two after a nervy Etihad opener against Bournemouth and now this confident away triumph. In the first season in a decade without Pep Guardiola, Maresca has inherited a ruthless forward line and, on nights like this, City look capable of blowing teams away. With Haaland, Cherki and Foden interchanging so sharply, they’ll be one of Europe’s must-watch attacks.

But let’s not pretend all the wrinkles are ironed out. The midfield can look open when City lose the ball, and the back line hasn’t quite gelled—there were chances for Palace that better finishing would have punished. Against the real heavyweights—think PSG, Barcelona, or title rivals Arsenal—those gaps will be prodded and probed.

Still, style points matter when you’re bedding in a new era, and Maresca’s blueprint is taking shape: dominance of the ball, runners flooding the box, and a No 9 who needs only the briefest invitation. A long season will reveal whether this City can grind as well as they glitter, but for now, they’ve landed an early punch and given Mikel Arteta something to mull over.

City aren’t the finished article—but when your forward line is this potent, you don’t have to be. Not yet.

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