Cherki asks Maresca for five minutes before brace at Crystal Palace

Rayan Cherki scored a second‑half brace as Manchester City faced Crystal Palace on Friday, after telling coach Enzo Maresca to give him five minutes on the pitch. The French international’s two goals came in quick succession, turning a quiet first half into a decisive impact.

Five‑minute plea to Maresca

Cherki approached Maresca at the interval and said, "Laisse‑moi cinq minutes, il n’y aura plus besoin de faire de changement." He insisted that a brief spell would be enough to prove his worth and asked not to be substituted. Maresca obliged, keeping the 23‑year‑old on the field for the remainder of the game.

Brace in the second half

The striker found the net at the 54th and 59th minutes, completing a five‑minute burst of goals. Both strikes were described by Cherki as a blend of control, a crochet and a pointu, leaving him amazed at the speed of execution. The double secured his personal tally of two goals for the match.

Quotes on preparation

"I worked all summer for this, so I’m really happy," Cherki told Canal+ after the game. He added that he had never been "asleep" on the bench and did not need a wake‑up call after starting the season on the bench for the first two matches.

Haaland and Cherki spark Manchester City dominance at Crystal Palace

Unsatisfied with the opening period, Cherki watched a teammate warm up, fearing a possible substitution at the break. "I had to answer some questions he had," he said of Maresca, reinforcing his determination to stay on.

He also lamented not serving Erling Haaland enough, noting that Haaland also scored a double. "Next week I will serve him like never before," Cherki promised, hinting at a budding rivalry for goals this season.

In the previous league fixture, Cherki contributed two assists after coming off the bench in a 2‑1 win over Bournemouth. His creative influence was evident even before his goal‑scoring display.

Former Lyon coach Pierre Sage, now at Crystal Palace, praised the performance, calling it "of very high level". The report appeared in GL, published today at 07:48, with the sharing options PalacePartagerPartagerWhatsappLinkedInMailmessengerPublié and Lire. Ce article was posted under Sport and GL sections, with the tag Partagerconst. Par the club, Il looks forward to more such contributions.