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.
Follow all the latest action from Selhurst Park in our live blog below:
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Crystal Palace v Man City live updates
- Manchester City cruise past Crystal Palace as Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland star
- Enzo Maresca hands £86m-man Ayyoub Bouaddi his City debut off the bench
- 85' GOAL! Haaland blasts into roof of net to get his brace [CRY 1-4 MNC]
- 59' GOAL! Cherki restores two-goal lead with drilled finish [CRY 1-3 MNC]
- 56' OWN GOAL! Stunning Pino free-kick hits woodwork and bounces in off Donnarumma [CRY 1-2 MNC]
- 54' GOAL! Cherki slots home after delightful run [CRY 0-2 MNC]
- 17' GOAL! Haaland breaks deadlock with header [CRY 0-1 MNC]
Elliot Anderson more settled after game two
23:30 , Will Castle“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."
Enzo Maresca hails Rayan Cherki: 'He's going to help us in the future'
23:15 , Will Castle"He's helping us,” Enzo Maresca said on the Frenchman.
“He's going to help us in the future. We know he's a quality player, last game against Bournemouth with two assists, today with two goals.
“But I think Rayan was very good off the ball. He was in control of Wharton and he worked very hard."
Pierre Sage clarifies Mateta and Munoz situations
23:01 , Will CastleCrystal 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
23:00 , Will Castle"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."
Phil Foden's game of two halves
22:41 , Will CastlePhil Foden had something of a shocker in that first half at Selhurst Park, missing a number of gilt-edged chances to leave the game still on a knife edge.
He was a different man after the break. Two assists and, on the whole, a decent day at the office.
Erling Haaland says the team are still figuring out what works under new management and has urged Foden to keep pushing.
"We have to keep on playing together, find out where we are best and how to play,” Haaland said.
“We have so many good players and we have to fit everyone in. He has to keep going because we know how good Phil is, it's about showing it week in week out. This is the right step forward for everyone. We have to build on this."
Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland blow Crystal Palace away but Man City questions remain
22:34 , Chris Wilson at Selhurst ParkFour goals, two devastating cameos, two wins from two. After a shaky start at the Etihad less than a week ago, Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City side have announced themselves with an impressive 4-1 win over Crystal Palace.
The opening week of the new Premier League season showed that no game is easy in this league, but City certainly made a Friday night at Selhurst Park look simple.
While the win against Bournemouth at the Etihad saw a sigh of relief at the final whistle, this was the kind of night where City fans probably wanted the game to last all night, with Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki providing the goals in an attacking performance that was scintillating at times.
Cherki and Haaland blow Crystal Palace away but Man City questions remain
Man City blow Crystal Palace out the water
22:05 , Will Castle
Rayan Cherki says how he really feels
22:01 , Will CastleRayan Cherki has been speaking on Sky Sports after scoring a pretty stunning brace for Man City.
Is he patting himself on the back? Nope, quite the opposite.
“I played so s***,” he said. Bit harsh, Rayan!
FULL-TIME! Crystal Palace 1-4 Man City
21:56 , Will CastleRayan 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.
FULL-TIME! Crystal Palace 1-4 Man City
21:54 , Will CastleAnd there’s the final whistle!
No problem scoring goals for Enzo Maresca’s side - a fine display from Manchester City.
Crystal Palace 1-4 Man City
21:52 , Will Castle90+3 mins: Beautiful threaded through pass from Ayyoub Bouaddi slips through Antoine Semenyo, but the winger’s pass across is cut out.
Crystal Palace 1-4 Man City
21:50 , Will Castle90+1 mins: Five minutes added on, unfortunately for Palace.
City coasting.
Crystal Palace 1-4 Man City
21:48 , Will Castle89 mins: Final two changes for City as Enzo Maresca brings on Vitor Reis and Kaden Braithwaite for a run-out. Abdukodir Khusanov and Nico O’Reilly make way.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-4 Man City (Haaland, 85')
21:43 , Will CastleHe hasn’t had many touches today, but Erling Haaland has still managed to bag two!
A devastating finish from the Norwegian, who blasts into the roof of the net after being set up by Phil Foden.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City
21:41 , Will Castle83 mins: CLOSE! Nearly the dream introduction for Ryan McAidoo!
He takes the initiative and drives towards the box before letting fly, with his curling effort just flashing wide of the post.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City
21:40 , Will Castle81 mins: Rayan Cherki gets a standing ovation from the away end as today’s man of the match is replaced by Ryan McAidoo.
And now, here comes the new boy. Ayyoub Bouaddi replaces another summer recruit in Elliot Anderson to make his Man City debut.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City
21:35 , Will Castle77 mins: Palace win a free-kick after a lengthy period of City possession, and finally, Oscar Mingueza is allowed to come on.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City
21:34 , Will Castle74 mins: Pierre Sage is making his final two changes, and it’s two more debuts.
Axel Disasi comes on for Takehiro Tomiyasu. Oscar Mingueza is then meant to be coming on for Anan Khalaili - but the right wing-back took two long to come off, and now Palace are playing for a minute with 10 men, per the new rules.
City also made a change - Josko Gvardiol off for Mateo Kovacic.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City
21:31 , Will Castle72 mins: Ever since that third goal, there’s been a sense that the jeopardy has come out of this one.
City look comfortable.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City
21:28 , Will Castle68 mins: Anan Khalaili goes in the book for a rash challenge.
Time for some more Palace changes. Eddie Nketiah and Yeremy Pino make way for Zavier Gozo and Dwight McNeil.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City
21:27 , Will Castle66 mins: Marc Guehi slips over and loses the ball, giving Yeremy Pino gets a sight of goal.
He flashes it across the face of goal but nobody’s there in white.
'Killer blow from Cherki'
21:25 , Chris Wilson at Selhurst ParkHere’s Chris Wilson at Selhurst Park:
That might be the killer blow, and it’s another goal from Rayan Cherki. This one was helped by a deflection but Enzo Maresca will be thankful that one of his players took it upon themselves to take the game to Palace in the final third.
Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City
21:24 , Will Castle64 mins: Right, caught your breath?
Rayan Cherki is some player. He has completely deflated Palace by scoring again so quickly.
Palace make a change as Jorgen Strand Larsen is replaced by Evann Guessand.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-3 Man City (Cherki, 58')
21:18 , Will CastleI can’t keep up!
You can’t give Rayan Cherki space there. With magic at his feet, he drives and fires past Dean Henderson.
Two-goal cushion is restored.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 1-2 Man City (Donnarumma OG, 56')
21:15 , Will CastlePalace have closed the gap and how!
Yeremy Pino fires a ridiculous free-kick from range, it crashes off the post and goes in off the back of Gianluigi Donnarumma!
Unfortunate for the keeper, but that strike deserved a goal.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-2 Man City (Cherki, 54')
21:12 , Will CastleIt is WONDERFUL from Rayan Cherki!
The Frenchman somehow manages to keep control of the ball as he dances past players in white, before just slotting it past Dean Henderson to double City’s lead.
Long way back for Palace now.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
21:09 , Will Castle49 mins: CHANCE! Another opportunity for Tyrick Mitchell as the ball gets played to him in the box, but he flashes it across goal - not in the corner, but too far in front of Eddie Nketiah for a tap in!
BACK UNDERWAY! Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
21:04 , Will CastleAnd we’re off again!
Erling Haaland off the mark
20:57 , Will Castle
Thomas Tuchel in the house!
20:55 , Will CastleFresh off his World Cup snub, Adam Wharton and Phil Foden will be out to make a statement in front of the England boss ahead of the September international break. Wharton is playing well, Foden more ‘patchy’.
HALF-TIME! Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:51 , Chris Wilson at Selhurst ParkHere’s Chris Wilson inside Selhurst Park:
City go into the break level after an encouraging half for Enzo Maresca, who may be a little irritated that his side have not scored at least one more. The visitors dominated at times but Foden missed a real sitter and they’ve come close on a couple of occasions, with Cherki and Foden looking lively.
As for Palace, there’ll be a little bit of disappointment at not having tested City more, with a few promising moves breaking down due to a lack of quality when it mattered most. Pierre Sage will take encouragement though, and the hosts aren’t out of this yet.
HALF-TIME! Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:48 , Will CastleAnd there’s the whistle.
Manchester City lead through Erling Haaland’s first goal of the season.
Both teams have had chances to add to the scoreline, with Crystal Palace doing well to rediscover a foothold in this - but as things stand, the visitors are in control.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:47 , Will Castle45+2 mins: SAVE! Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki link before the latter fires for the bottom-left corner, but Dean Henderson gets down to save.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:47 , Will Castle45+1 mins: Just the one minute added on for first-half stoppages.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:45 , Will Castle44 mins: A lot better from Phil Foden who beats Tyrick Mitchell easily and dinks one onto the head of Erling Haaland, only for the striker to head it back across goal to one rather than at Dean Henderson’s net.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:44 , Will Castle41 mins: Selhurst Park got excited when Adam Wharton got the ball, and rightly so as he found Eddie Nketiah with a nice lofted pass.
Nketiah controlled it well as Palace fans leant forward in their seats - before an unnecessary backwards pass led to a collective groan from the home faithful.
Wharton has now picked up a knock - he’s fine but will be off the pitch for a minute, as per the new rules.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:40 , Will Castle39 mins: Another half-chance for Palace! The free-kick is right on the head of Chris Richards, but he gets it wrong and it comes off his shoulder, bobbling through for Gianluigi Donnarumma to pick up.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:39 , Will Castle38 mins: Antoine Semenyo gets into the box but his effort is blocked before reaching Dean Henderson.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:38 , Will Castle35 mins: During that period of Palace pressure, Phil Foden got absolutely rinsed by Tyrick Mitchell on the turn, who knocked it through his legs. He’s not having a good night so far.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:37 , Will Castle34 mins: CHANCE! The free-kick is whipped onto Jorgen Strand Larsen’s head but his effort floats agonisingly wide!
But Palace keep on coming. It’s worked into a good position out wide for Yeremy Pino but he puts too much on his cross to the back post.
The next cross, however, is perfection for Tyrick Mitchell to head goalwards - but he completely mistimes it and it bobbles wide. Another great opportunity.
Better from Palace.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:34 , Will Castle33 mins: The first player in the book is a City man. Rayan Cherki is penalised for pulling Adam Wharton down after he got away from him.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:32 , Will Castle32 mins: Palace did start really brightly. However, their last touch in the opposition box came in the third minute.
City now in full control.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:32 , Will Castle31 mins: All a bit messy from Palace trying to play out from the back, and they’ve been pressed into conceding a throw in in their final third.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:30 , Will Castle27 mins: CHANCE! Crystal Palace looked like they were about to threaten as Yeremy Pino tried to slip Eddie Nketiah in on goal. A lunging City body gets in the way, and hear comes the break.
Nico O’Reilly drives forward, slips Rayan Cherki to the byline and gives Phil Foden yet another gilt-edged opportunity, this time with his head. Again, it’s fluffed.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:27 , Will Castle26 mins: Two more good City deliveries are pelted into the Palace box, first from Rayan Cherki with a free-kick on the left, and then from Phil Foden with a corner on the right. Both dealt with.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:26 , Will Castle24 mins: Man City win the ball again in the Palace half and Nico O’Reilly goes for a speculative effort from range, but drags it wide.
'Gutting for Palace'
20:25 , Chris Wilson at Selhurst ParkHere’s Chris Wilson inside Selhurst Park:
Palace had started the better of the two sides but the game is turned in an instant by the first moments of quality. Semenyo’s ball in was superb and it left Haaland with the ‘simple’ task of putting a finishing touch on it, with the Norwegian cushioning a deceptively impressive header over Henderson to open the scoring. Gutting for Palace but a reminder of what the top teams can do if you give them even a bit of space.”
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:24 , Will Castle22 mins: CHANCE! It’s an absolute SITTER missed by Phil Foden!
City are in their groove and they work it brilliantly through the Palace back line, slipping it to Foden for a simple finish - but he skies it.
Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City
20:23 , Will Castle20 mins: Erling Haaland is receiving more and more service, with another ball from Antoine Semenyo flashing past the striker.
GOAL! Crystal Palace 0-1 Man City (Haaland, 17')
20:18 , Will CastleHe blanked on GW1, but Erling Haaland is off the mark for the season!
Antoine Semenyo whips it for the big Norwegian to latch onto, looping a perfectly-controlled header out of reach of Dean Henderson and into the Palace goal.
'Plenty of chanting for Jorgen Strand Larsen'
20:15 , Chris Wilson at Selhurst ParkHere’s Chris Wilson inside Selhurst Park:
Plenty of chanting early on for Jorgen Strand Larsen too, with the home fans suggesting their feelings towards the injured Jean-Philippe Mateta there too.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City
20:12 , Will Castle10 mins: This has been a FRANTIC start!
Palace are back threatening, pushing into open space in City’s final third and getting into the box.
A couple of blocked pull-backs from Yeremy Pino have been and gone as Palace look to open the visitors up.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City
20:11 , Will Castle8 mins: CHANCE! Suddenly City are really knocking at the door.
Antoine Semenyo gets the ball across and it looks like Phil Foden has a tap in, but he just bounces it off Dean Henderson’s torso and Palace clear.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City
20:09 , Will Castle7 mins: CHANCE! City so close to forcing that one over the line!
Dean Henderson is forced into a big diving save from a curling Elliot Anderson effort but Palace don’t get it cleared immediately.
It leads to a goalmouth scramble with Palace defending desperately, but Erling Haaland can’t knock it home.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City
20:06 , Will Castle5 mins: New man Anan Khalaili is already getting amped up and seems to be swiftly winning over the Crystal Palace faithful.
“Daniel Munoz, who?”
Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City
20:04 , Will Castle3 mins: More early pressure from Palace as Daichi Kamada lets fly after City failed to clear the corner, with Elliot Anderson getting his head in the way.
That was travelling.
Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City
20:04 , Will Castle2 mins: Bright start from Palace!
A wonderful through ball by Adam Wharton sets Eddie Nketiah running in behind with Ruben Dias challenging.
The Portuguese defender forces him out wide in the box but he still forces Gianluigi Donnarumma into a save.
KICK-OFF! Crystal Palace 0-0 Man City
20:01 , Will CastleAnd away we go!
Closing in on kick-off
19:56 , Will CastleJust under five minutes until we get underway at Selhurst Park.
Will it be two from two for Enzo Maresca’s men? Or will Pierre Sage get off the mark for Crystal Palace on home territory?
Here come the teams. All the action, next. Stay tuned!
Crystal Palace vs Man City
19:53 , Chris WilsonA real test incoming for City, while Palace fans will be hoping for better than last week in their first home game under new boss Pierre Sage.
Man City's formidable Selhurst Park record
19:48 , Will CastleManchester City go into the game as the standout favourites.
It’s hardly a surprise when you look at the history, with City unbeaten in their last 11 visits to Selhurst Park, winning eight and drawing three matches, since a 2-1 defeat back in April 2015.
That win for Palace was one of just two at home against the Cityzens in their last 22, and they have drawn just five and lost 15.
Adam Wharton to Man City?
19:42 , Will CastleCrystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has been linked with a move to Manchester City this summer - but Pierre Sage is confident the Englishman will stay put.
Sage said: "I think now is not the moment to do that (sell Wharton). I think he is able to play in another club, in a big club, here or everywhere in Europe.
"But I think one year with us, with a new dynamic, will be good for him, and we need him. That’s why I think he will stay with us."
Man City fixture update
19:36 , Will CastleManchester City have just confirmed a fixture update - not for tonight, but for next month.
They will now face Sunderland on Sunday at 2pm BST after their League Cup clash with Norwich was scheduled for the Thursday beforehand.
🚨 FIXTURE UPDATE 🚨
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 28, 2026
🆚 Sunderland (H)
🏆 @premierleague
📅 Sunday 20 September
⏰ 14:00 (UK) pic.twitter.com/REUTBDBawN
Daniel Munoz on the move?
19:30 , Will CastleThere are a few Palace players conspicuous by their absence from the starting XI tonight.
Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr are out injured, so that’s the official line there. Daniel Munoz, meanwhile, is benched.
That comes amid heightened talk that he could be on the move to Nottingham Forest for £22m.
He arrived at Selhurst Park all smiles earlier - might it be his last home game as a Palace man?
The end of Palace's ultras era
19:24 , Will CastleThere was big news in Crystal Palace circles last night as it emerged their famous ultras group, the Holmesdale Fanatics, would be disbanding after 21 years.
Citing the club’s current setup for fans as “unsustainable”, the groups said young fans are being “increasingly driven out by sky high ticket prices, needless restrictions that are designed to strip away the dignity of supporters, and relentless harassment and legal action.”
That last point may be crucial - Palace and “Persons Unknown” are being sued in the High Court by Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis for an allegedly libelous banner that was held in the Holmesdale End last season.
While the group had its critics, it also inspired a new age of fan culture within England, namely the revival of the ultras, and were the architects of many a powerful moment in the stands.
One of those came in their victorious FA Cup final against tonight’s opponents, when an incredible tifo was held up showing a father clutching his two sons. Dominic and Nathan, the two boys who are now grown men, were at Wembley that day, but without their dad, who passed from cancer in 2017.
Will Castle spoke to those inside the Holmesdale Fanatics last year to get an insight into how that special moment came together, and learn what the group was about on the whole:
Inside the ultras: The fans behind Crystal Palace’s heart-rending FA Cup tifo
Confusion with Man City's midfield
19:22 , Chris Wilson at Selhurst ParkHere’s Chris Wilson inside Selhurst Park:
There’s some early confusion looking at the City starting line-up, with some wondering whether we will see Marc Guehi starting in midfield once again.
The former Palace man scored City’s equaliser in an encouraging cameo in defensive midfield last week but there are murmurs that Enzo Maresca might have changed it up this week, perhaps instead opting for either Nico O’Reilly.
It is worth noting that O’Reilly played in midfield as a youth player, and of course featured there a limited number of times under Pep Guardiola too.
Winners and losers of opening weekend
19:18 , Will CastleEnzo Maresca was one of just three of the Premier League’s newly-appointed managers to win on the opening weekend of the season, though it didn’t come easily.
Having been trailing to Bournemouth since Marcus Tavernier’s 26th-minute strike, his side required two goals late on to flip the game on its head and spare embarrassment at the first hurdle, with Josko Gvardiol the stoppage-time hero.
Fellow newcomer Pierre Sage, meanwhile, was not so fortunate. His side were soundly beaten 2-0 at Everton.
Manchester City are covering up their transfer mistakes – and leaving a clear lesson
19:12 , Richard JollyIt has been a goodbye to the greats in Manchester City’s summer of change, adios to Pep Guardiola, Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Rodri, with tributes reflecting their importance in the club’s history. Nathan Ake, another Champions League winner, was afforded less of a fanfare, but then he always did tend to fly under the radar.
But there is a different kind of farewell: to the men who have come and gone at some speed, often with sizeable sums of money changing hands, but without the longevity of Guardiola, Silva and Stones, who all gave either nine or 10 years of service. Some may have been designed as the successors to the treble team, but are leaving in the same summer as a couple of them, barely a year after others. Which, in turn, can show the difficulty of coming after legends; anyone else can look like a downgrade.
Manchester City are covering up their transfer mistakes – and leaving a clear lesson
What the managers said
19:06 , Will CastleEnzo Maresca spoke on new signing Ayyoub Bouaddi and said he was ready to get involved straight away at Selhurst Park.
“He’s quite calm,” Maresca said when asked about his key attributes. “He doesn’t look 18, he looks already mature and this is important.
“In this case we need to go slowly because he’s very young, he came from a different country and he needs adaptation.
“No rush for him. For sure he will help us now and in the future. But he is just 18. It is my job and it’s the club’s job to manage him in the best way, don’t put pressure on him, he is young and he needs time.”
What the managers said
19:00 , Will CastleNew manager Pierre Sage said he is prepared to “give my life” to make the Crystal Palace supporters happy before his first home match in charge.
Sage said: “I will give my life to make them happy. I cannot do more.
“It will be a wonderful moment, but I prefer to have a wonderful moment with good news at the end of the game.
“That’s why I don’t think about me in this situation. The most important thing is the team and the result for sure, because we prepare all week for that, to make the fans happy. They will be happy to see us, but I think they would prefer to see us win.”
Arrivals at Selhurst Park
18:58 , Will Castle
Manchester City line-up
18:46 , Will CastleAyyoub Bouaddi will have to come off the bench if he is to make his Man City debut tonight, with Enzo Maresca opting to stick with Marc Guehi in midfield.
The only other change from the Bournemouth win sees Rayan Cherki start in place of Rico Lewis.
Man City XI: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Anderson, Guehi; Foden, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland.
Subs: Rulli, Kovacic, Ait-Nouri, Reis, Echeverri, Bouaddi, McAidoo, Braithwaite, Lewis.
Tonight’s team to face Crystal Palace! 💪🩵
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 28, 2026
XI | Donnarumma, Khusanov, Dias (C), Gvardiol, O’Reilly, Anderson, Guéhi, Foden, Cherki, Semenyo, Haaland
SUBS | Rulli, Kovačić, Aït-Nouri, Reis, Echeverri, Bouaddi, McAidoo, Braithwaite, Lewis
🤝 @etihad pic.twitter.com/qNgJPXKDM7
Crystal Palace line-up
18:46 , Will CastleNo Ismaila Sarr or Jean-Philippe Mateta in the team, with both absent due to injuries rather than transfer dealings. Jorgen Strand Larsen leads the line.
Daniel Munoz starts on the bench amid rumours he’ll be on the move to Nottingham Forest, with new signing Anan Khalaili coming in.
Takehiro Tomiyasu comes into the team for Chadi Riad, who was stretchered off against Everton, while Yeremy Pino starts ahead of Dwight McNeil.
Crystal Palace XI: Henderson; Canvot, Richards, Tomiyasu; Khalaili, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Pino, Nketiah; Strand Larsen.
Subs: Benitez, Munoz, Disasi, Minguez, Hughes, Lerma, Gozo, McNeil, Guessand.
COYP. 🦅 pic.twitter.com/78ZUj8SBOf
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 28, 2026
Chelsea outline new Enzo Fernandez stance amid Man City interest
18:39 , Miguel DelaneyChelsea want a higher price than £120m for Enzo Fernandez amid Manchester City’s ongoing interest in the midfielder.
Chelsea had long been open to business for a £120m fee for the Argentina international in what was already a complicated saga, but it is understood that no longer applies, partly due to how summer market valuations have risen.
One of the higher prices was the £116m fee City themselves paid to Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson this summer, and it now appears they would have to greatly increase on that club record to secure Fernandez.
Chelsea outline new Enzo Fernandez stance amid Man City interest
Team news
18:36 , Will CastleLine-ups will be out shortly, but this is what we know so far...
Ismaila Sarr remains absent for Crystal Palace with a groin issue, and Chadi Riad is also injured having been forced off against Everton. Axel Disasi has arrived on loan from Chelsea and could make his debut.
Ayyoub Bouaddi could be involved for Manchester City after his move from Lille, though Marc Guehi may retain a midfield role. Jeremy Doku has been ruled out and Matheus Nunes is not 100 per cent fit, so may be limited to a bench role once more.
Is Crystal Palace vs Man City on TV?
18:33 , Will CastleCrystal Palace vs Manchester City is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Friday 28 August at Selhurst Park.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League. A live stream will be available via Sky Go and NOW.
Crystal Palace vs Man City LIVE!
18:30 , Will CastleManchester City travel to Crystal Palace tonight with Enzo Maresca hoping to make it two wins from two since taking the reins from Pep Guardiola.
Maresca very nearly didn’t get off to a victorious start in the City dugout, requiring two late goals against Bournemouth to flip last weekend’s opener at the Etihad Stadium on its head.
He’ll want a more straightforward outing against the Eagles, who are yet to click into gear under new boss Pierre Sage after suffering an opening day defeat to Everton.
City could hand new midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi a debut at Selhurst Park, though competition for places could already be about to stiffen for the Moroccan with Maresca’s side plotting a late big-money move for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez.
Good evening
16:39 , Will CastleHello there and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Manchester City’s trip to Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
Stay tuned for all the latest team news, build-up and match action!
