Manchester City Rout Crystal Palace 4-1 as Cherki, Haaland Score Twice Each

LONDON —

Manchester City thrashed Crystal Palace 4-1 at Selhurst Park on Friday night, with Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland each scoring twice to hand new manager Enzo Maresca back-to-back wins to open the Premier League season.

Haaland opened the scoring in the 17th minute, rising above Chris Richards to head home Antoine Semenyo's cross for his first league goal of the campaign, according to Channel NewsAsia. Palace had started the game well, but City settled into control after the opening minutes.

Phil Foden squandered a good chance moments later, skying the ball over the bar, and Eddie Nketiah missed an opportunity for Palace early in the second half before Cherki broke through again. In the 54th minute, the French playmaker dribbled past several defenders and slipped the ball past goalkeeper Dean Henderson, Channel NewsAsia reported.

Palace hit back two minutes later when Yeremy Pino's free kick struck the crossbar, cannoned off Gianluigi Donnarumma's back, and dropped into the net, an own goal credited to the City goalkeeper, according to Sky Sports.

Any hope of a comeback vanished within minutes. Cherki scored again in the 59th, his long-range effort deflecting off Richards and past Henderson, according to Channel NewsAsia. Haaland completed the scoring late on, blasting home a left-footed finish after Foden carried the ball into the box, Al Jazeera reported.

Maresca Sees Progress

Maresca said the match was difficult early on but City took control as it went on. "Probably the first five or 10 minutes we saw how difficult it was. It's a difficult pitch and tough opponents, after 10 minutes we controlled the game on the ball and off the ball and deserved to win," he said, according to Channel NewsAsia.

Cherki, named player of the match, said his first-half performance had been poor. "My performance was so-so, because in first half we didn't find the space and I played so shit. I looked to Enzo and I knew I needed to change it for the second half," he said, according to Guardian Sport.

Haaland told Sky Sports the team is still adjusting to Maresca after Pep Guardiola's departure. "It is a new manager but most of us have been playing together. We have to trust the new manager and what he wants us to do," he said.

Debuts And What's Next

Teenage Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, signed from Lille for $116 million (86 million pounds) this week, made his Premier League debut off the bench in the closing minutes, Al Jazeera reported.

For Palace, it was a second straight defeat to open the season under new manager Pierre Sage, following a 2-0 loss at Everton, according to Al Jazeera. City, meanwhile, have nearly a week off before facing newly promoted Coventry City, with a derby against Manchester United to follow, Channel NewsAsia reported.