Manchester City defeated Crystal Palace 4-1 to record two straight wins to open the 2026/27 EPL season. The match was played at 8:00 p.m. BST on Friday, August 28, 2026, at Selhurst Park.
Haaland and Cherki score twice each
Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki led Manchester City to victory. Haaland scored in the 17th minute of the first half and the 84th minute of the second half, while Cherki scored twice in quick succession in the 54th and 59th minutes.
Manchester City's four goals were shared evenly between Haaland and Cherki, with two each.
Crystal Palace's goal was recorded as an own goal after Yeremy Pino's free kick went in off Gianluigi Donnarumma. Therefore, although Pino's free kick contributed to Crystal Palace's scoring sequence, it cannot be described as a direct goal by Pino in the official record.
Six points from two matches under Enzo Maresca
With this victory, Manchester City secured six points after two matches in the 2026/27 Premier League season. Enzo Maresca has guided the team to two consecutive opening wins in his first season as Manchester City's manager.
However, the confirmed record currently covers only the results of the first two matches and the opening winning streak. This result alone is not enough to determine the final standings or Manchester City's chances of winning the title.
Next fixture
Manchester City's next Premier League match is listed as a home fixture against Coventry City on September 5, 2026.
Sources checked
- [Manchester City official match report](https://live.mancity.com/news/mens/crystal-palace-manchester-city-202627-match-report-63923537) — checked August 29, 2026
- [Crystal Palace official match report](https://www.cpfc.co.uk/news/match-reports/report-highlights-palace-manchester-city-august-2026/) — checked August 29, 2026
- [Sky Sports match report](https://www.skysports.com/football/crystal-palace-vs-manchester-city/report/559458) — checked August 29, 2026
- [Official Premier League fixtures](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4678381/fixture-amendments-for-premier-league-matches-in-august-and-september) — checked August 29, 2026