Enzo Maresca praises 'unbelievable' Rayan Cherki after Man City playmaker downs Palace

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-city/Wtn9Stg0/"]City[/a] boss Maresca admitted [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cherki-mathis/vm0eu2V3/"]Cherki[/a] was frustrated to be left out of the starting line-up for last weekend's 2-1 win against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bournemouth/OtpNdwrc/"]Bournemouth[/a] in their Premier League opener.[/p][p]The France midfielder responded to the snub in emphatic style.[/p][p]He came off the bench to provide a pair of assists against Bournemouth and seized his chance to start at Selhurst Park with a masterful display that underlined his qualities.[/p][p]The 23-year-old bagged a brace after an own goal from City keeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/donnarumma-gianluigi/WScbdXmL/"]Gianluigi Donnarumma[/a] had cancelled out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a]'s opener in rainy south London.[/p][p]Haaland struck again in the closing stages to cap [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/crystal-palace-AovF1Mia/manchester-city-Wtn9Stg0/?mid=C0b6Sk9l"]City's second successive victory under Maresca[/a].[/p][image alt="Cherki stats vs Palace" id="b96b3bee-5298-4534-9223-1eae676cfc60" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="20533066-2b8f-42c1-9dfc-ee8010e20e29" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Maresca praised the way that Cherki combined his playmaking brilliance with the task of subduing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/crystal-palace/AovF1Mia/"]Palace[/a] midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wharton-adam/v5IYUpDm/"]Adam Wharton[/a].[/p][p]"[b]His performance off the ball was unbelievable. Everyone knows his quality but when he works hard off the ball[/b]," Maresca said.[/p][p]"[b]He was in charge of Wharton, he controlled him. He's helping us and is going to help in the future. We know he's a quality player[/b].[/p][p]"[b]I think he was very, very good off the ball and was working very hard[/b]."[/p][p]Cherki insisted his impressive display was still far from his top level.[/p][p]"[b]My performance is so-so. In the first half, we didn't find the space, I played bad[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]I need to show them I want to play, I want to score. Next time I want to give the ball around more[/b]."[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="ce55a36f-9310-46d0-9d10-f9b39071fb89" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="3b875c53-2012-4905-ab5b-1560ba41d4c9" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Cherki's flamboyant antics on the pitch and volatile personality off it led to reports that Pep Guardiola was unconvinced by the former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/2akflumR/"]Lyon[/a] star last season.[/p][p]With Guardiola having left at the end of last term, Cherki hopes to emerge as one of the figureheads of the new era under Mareca.[/p][p]"[b]I'm very happy for the win. Pep was a big story. We will start another story[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]We want to prove it and we are here for that[/b]."[/p][p]City have made a strong start under Maresca and the former [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] boss was pleased with their combative display against Palace.[/p][p]"[b]Probably the first five or 10 minutes we saw how difficult it was. It's a difficult pitch and tough opponents[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]After 10 minutes we controlled the game on the ball and off the ball and deserved to win. The intensity on the team has been good[/b]."[/p][p]If City are to dethrone champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] this season, Maresca knows they will need Haaland at his predatory best.[/p][embed guid="b950d70f-1659-4fb4-a596-ee029dc90db5" url="https://x.com/ManCity/status/2093434762647982400" social-type="twitter" /][p]"[b]We know Erling. We know when we make chances it's good for him. We try to create chances for him as much as we can[/b]," he said.[/p][p]"[b]It's important to start the right way with a new manager. Big change. You can see at the end of the game how happy the fans were[/b].[/p][p]"[b]Happy that we get the three points. There are always things that we can do better[/b]."[/p]