Manchester City made it two wins in two Premier League matches, cruising to victory at Selhurst Park and defeating Crystal Palace 4-1 on a night when Haaland and Cherki once again demonstrated just how dangerous Maresca’s team can be when it finds its rhythm. The “Citizens,” who will also face AEK in the Champions League group stage, once again showcased the depth and quality of their roster.
City came out strong and made it clear early on that they intended to dictate the pace of the game. Haaland was the first to threaten, and in the 17th minute he opened the scoring with a header, capitalizing on an excellent cross from Semenio. That goal gave the visitors some breathing room, and they continued to move the ball effectively and look for openings around Palace’s defense. The home team had moments of pressure, but failed to create a clear chance against the steady Donnarumma.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In the second half, City stepped up their intensity and quickly made it 0-2. Cherki, who had already begun to raise his level of play, scored in the 54th minute with a flawless finish, giving his team a significant lead. Palace, however, didn’t give up, and two minutes later they got back into the game: On an incredible free kick by Pino, the ball struck Donnarumma in the back and found the net for a 1-2 score, in a play where the Italian goalkeeper was unlucky.
City’s response was immediate. In the 59th minute, Cherki found space again, struck the ball with power and precision, and made it 1-3, capping off an impressive individual performance. Palace tried to regain their rhythm, but City was now in complete control of the match, with Maresca effectively managing the lead and closing down the spaces.
The final score of 1-4 came in the 84th minute, with Haaland capping off his own show. Foden found him with an excellent through ball, and the Norwegian, with a cool finish, scored his second goal of the match, putting his stamp on yet another convincing performance by City. Maresca’s team thus went undefeated in their first two matches, following their comeback victory over Bournemouth, while Palace suffered its second consecutive loss following the 2-0 defeat to Everton in the season opener.
The schedule for Matchday 2 of the Premier League:
Friday, August 28
Crystal Palace–Manchester City 1–4
Saturday, August 29
Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest (2:30 p.m.)
Coventry vs. Hull (5:00 p.m.)
Bournemouth vs. Everton (5:00 p.m.)
Tottenham vs. Newcastle (7:30 p.m.)
Sunday, August 30
Leeds vs. Brentford (4:00 p.m.)
Sunderland vs. Fulham (4:00 p.m.)
Chelsea vs. Brighton (4:00 p.m.)
Manchester United vs. Ipswich (6:30 p.m.)
*Photo source: KYPE
