Haaland and Cherki each score twice as Man City thrash Crystal Palace 4-1 in Maresca's first away game

Manchester City produced a commanding performance at Selhurst Park to beat Crystal Palace 4-1 in the second round of the Premier League. Braces from Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki powered Enzo Maresca's side to a second straight win at the start of his tenure.

• Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki both scored twice in Manchester City's win.
• Enzo Maresca has won his first two competitive matches in charge of the club.
• Crystal Palace competed well in the first half but conceded three goals after the interval.
• Yeremy Pino scored the hosts' only goal with a free-kick that caught Gianluigi Donnarumma off guard.

How Manchester City beat Crystal Palace in the Premier League

Palace started with more confidence and looked to punish a shaky opening from City. However, the final ball let the home side down repeatedly, and Pierre Sage's plan soon collapsed under the weight of City's attacking quality.

Haaland and Cherki punish Palace after the break

The breakthrough came in the 17th minute. Antoine Semenyo collected the ball on the left wing, exploited the space given by the home defence and delivered a superb cross. Haaland arrived in the middle to cushion a header past a helpless Dean Henderson.

City settled after that, controlling possession and leaving Palace almost anonymous in attack for long spells. Jorgen Strand Larsen and Tyrick Mitchell had brief openings before half-time, but the score remained 1-0 at the interval.

The game was settled in a devastating five-minute spell after the restart. Cherki received from Phil Foden, skipped past two challenges and finished cleverly past Henderson to make it 2-0. Palace found hope through a Pino free-kick that hit the woodwork before going in off Donnarumma, but Cherki responded immediately with a drive from outside the box that took a deflection off Chris Richards on its way in.

Maresca's stamp on his first away trip

The fourth goal came from another intricate passing move. A clever combination left Haaland with a simple finish from close range to complete his brace. The Norwegian once again showed his instinct for being in the right place at the right time.

Maresca wrapped up his first away league match with a result that strengthens his project's message. The Italian coach has navigated two demanding fixtures against teams coming off strong previous campaigns. Bournemouth pushed City hard in the opener, and Palace tried to go toe-to-toe, but City's attacking quality made the difference.

Defensive concerns City must address

Despite the scoreline, City left space behind the midfield that Palace failed to exploit. The defensive unit still lacks the solidity expected on paper, and on several transitions the home side got into promising areas without finding the finishing touch.

This City side has the talent to beat anyone on their day, but they still need to sort out their defensive protection before facing the top sides in Europe.

A warning for Arsenal in the title race

With Haaland, Cherki and Foden as attacking weapons, City look like one of the most entertaining teams on the continent. The big question is whether this group has the consistency to sustain a genuine title challenge or whether their defensive issues will cost them against bigger opponents.

For now, Maresca has sent a clear message in his first two matches: his team wants to dominate and has plenty of resources to win games. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who hopes to fight for the league crown, already knows City will not give ground easily.