Cherki's brilliant double fires Man City past Crystal Palace
Rayan Cherki scored two second-half goals as Manchester City eased to a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace under new manager Enzo Maresca.
Manchester City delivered a commanding 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, with Rayan Cherki the standout performer after scoring twice in the second half.
The 23-year-old France forward drew laughs from Erling Haaland after bluntly and colourfully criticising his own first-half display in a live TV interview. His second-half performance told a different story, as he weaved past four Palace defenders before finishing with his left foot, then later added a second with a rising right-footed strike from 20 yards.
Cherki made 33 Premier League appearances last season under Pep Guardiola, though 14 came from the bench, following his £30m move from Lyon. Under new head coach Enzo Maresca, he appeared to have a point to prove, having already come off the bench to set up two late goals in City's opening-weekend win over Bournemouth.
The forward endured a difficult World Cup with France, mostly used as a substitute, with footage emerging showing his apparent frustration with coach Didier Deschamps. After the Bournemouth match, he was seen in an animated conversation with Maresca — this time earning a starting place.
Maresca praised not only Cherki's goals but also his defensive work, noting that the player effectively neutralised Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, a player City have been linked with as a potential transfer target.
Former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp compared Cherki's quality to players such as Eden Hazard and Georgi Kinkladze, calling his ability with the ball exceptional.
