Enzo Maresca thrilled with Rayan Cherki’s work rate in Manchester City victory

Rayan Cherki’s quickfire double catalysed Manchester City’s 4-1 win at Crystal Palace but it was the Frenchman’s work off the ball that most impressed new boss Enzo Maresca.

City made it a perfect two wins from two to start Maresca’s first season in charge at City, with Erling Haaland opening the scoring with a 17th-minute header and wrapping up the three points late on.

Cherki scored his first in the 54th minute to initiate a wild six-minute spell that continued with Gianluigi Donnarumma’s own goal from a Yeremy Pino free-kick before the France international bagged another.

“For sure he’s happy,” said Maresca. “But his performance for me was very good, not because of the two goals but the way he worked off the ball.

“He has to press, he was in charge when Palace had the ball, he was in charge of (Adam) Wharton, and I think his game was a complete game.”

The 23-year-old added to the two assists he picked up after coming on as a substitute in City’s season-opening 2-1 win over Bournemouth.

He started on Friday night at Selhurst Park, taking the place of Rico Lewis in Maresca’s staring XI.

“He loves football, which makes it much easier to work with him,” said Maresca. “It is what it is, he’s Rayan.

“We know how good he is, we know the quality he has, and in this moment he’s helping the team with the numbers, also assisting goals, and no doubt that is going to help the team in the future.”

The heavy defeat spoiled new Palace boss Pierre Sage’s introduction to the home support at Selhurst Park, which felt the noticeable absent of fan group the Holmesdale Fanatics, who, on the eve of the Eagles’ home opener, had announced they were “choosing to stop all organised activity as the HF inside the stadium”.

The collective, which