Crystal Palace vs Man City LIVE: Cherki steals show as Sage gives update on Mateta and Munoz | OneFootball

(AP)

Rayan Cherki stole the show at Selhurst Park as Manchester City breezed past Crystal Palace to keep up Enzo Maresca's winning start in the dugout.

Erling Haaland broke the deadlock 17 minutes into the game, nodding a looping header past Dean Henderson to net his first of the season.

Both sides had chances to score before the break but Cherki gave City daylight soon after the restart, tip-toeing his way through the Palace defence before slotting home.

Palace quickly got back into the game as Yeremy Pino's thunderous free-kick hit the woodwork and bounced in off Gianluigi Donnarumma, but Cherki would round off a third goal in five minutes when he fired past Henderson again moments later.

Haaland rounded off a rampant performance by blasting into the roof of the net five minutes from time as City coasted through to the final whistle.

Next up

Man City are back in action next Saturday as they host newly-promoted Coventry City, while Crystal Palace go across London to face Fulham on the same day, with Pierre Sage still searching for his first point.

But before that, we’ve got the rest of this weekend’s action to sink our teeth into!

Will Castle29 August 2026 00:00

Elliot Anderson more settled after game two

“I enjoyed it today,” said Elliot Anderson after his second appearance for City. “I felt more at home today, it's my third game now and I feel like I'm getting better. There's still more to come."

“I'm always nervous when I go on the pitch but my first outing at the Etihad was pretty special. But it's two wins from two now so I'm pretty happy.

"I'm loving it. It's a bit different to what I've been used to.

"I've got to be a bit more structured, that's what I'm learning - to stay in my position when at Forest I was doing a little bit more."

Pierre Sage clarifies Mateta and Munoz situations

Crystal Palace boss Pierre Sage has confirmed that Jean-Philippe Mateta missed tonight’s clash with a muscle injury and will be out for four weeks.

The French striker is desperate to leave but this could prove a hammer blow to a Palace exit this window.

Sage said: "He injured two days ago at the end of a session with individual work. That's a crazy thing, but we can lose him maybe for at least four weeks.

“It’s a muscular issue.”

Daniel Munoz has also been linked with a move away and was dropped to the bench against Man City, with Anan Khalail starting instead.

Khalail was later replaced but not for Munoz.

Asked about the decision to not involve the wing back, Sage said: “It was a sports decision. My decision.”

Pierre Sage gives post-match thoughts

"I'm frustrated with the score,” Pierre Sage told BBC Sport.

“It's heavy. We gave 60-65 good minutes. It's our story for the moment. We know we're a bit late in our pre-season. It's why it was 45 minutes in the last game and 65 minutes today.

"The bad moment is the 3-1. We came back. We lost our hope in this situation. Before that we had a lot of chances which we missed. Against a team like this you need to be at your top.

"We let them put the ball in the box. We know Haaland can do good things with his head.

"We had a lot of opportunities and didn't take it.

"Football is not about style, it's about efficiency. and sometimes you need the points to have confidence.

"Mateta was injured two days before the game. At the end of a session, individual work. It's crazy. Maybe we've lost him for four weeks at least."

(PA)