Manchester City are top of the Premier League after a confident 4-1 thrashing of Crystal Palace. Their bench at Selhurst Park showed that they don't currently have the squad to stay at the summit, but that is a nicer problem for the final days of the transfer window with six points on the board.
Cherki stars on first start
Enzo Maresca doesn't get much sleep even when his team wins but he can afford some satisfaction at the start he has made with this new team. A late comeback at home to Bournemouth last week was followed up by this more convincing victory at Palace with Rayan Cherki the star of the show again.
Fresh from his two assists off the bench on Sunday, Cherki was handed his first start of the campaign and did not disappoint. Despite being on a yellow card from the first half, the Frenchman kept his head and then slalomed by three Palace defenders in the second half to add to Erling Haaland's opener.
When Yeremy Pino scored direct from a free-kick moments later via the unlucky Gianluigi Donnarumma, Cherki simply shrugged it off and slapped in another to restore City's two-goal lead. The celebrations in front of the Palace fans were arrogant - backed up by the brilliance of both of the goals.
Haaland's opener pleases Maresca most
As fantastic as Cherki was in the second half, and as promising as that looks for City's season, it is probably Haaland's opener that will have pleased Maresca most out of the four goals. It was a terrific header, and the work on the ball and then cross from Antoine Semenyo is exactly what he wants his wingers to be doing.
City played with a swagger throughout, and some of their play after the opener was bursting with confidence and quality. Phil Foden missed not one but two very good chances to get on the scoresheet, with the second chance at the end of a flowing move with Cherki and Nico O'Reilly.
O'Reilly was in midfield again, with Marc Guehi very good in his more familiar centre-back position alongside Ruben Dias. With Elliot Anderson enjoying his best game yet in a City shirt, more pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place.
Thin bench highlights transfer need
It was telling though that Maresca did not turn to his bench until the 75th minute. City's starters are still working their way back to full fitness yet the eight outfield substitutes included two academy players and another three who may yet end up moving before the deadline closes.
Young winger Ryan McAidoo was on the pitch by the time Haaland smashed in a fourth goal and new signing Ayyoub Bouaddi played a lovely ball to put Semenyo through but he saw his cross for Haaland cut out in injury time.
As Maresca and the players took in the ovation of the buoyant travelling fans, there was the temptation to think that maybe everything will be alright after all. Alas, the rigours of four competitions mean that it cannot be.
The mood in South London was not optimistic before kick-off and City know there are tougher tests ahead; their Champions League draw is statistically one of the most difficult on paper and the Manchester derby at Old Trafford is approaching. Wins are not to be sniffed at though and City will be particularly delighted to be on six points given they had so many players go far at the World Cup.
They know that more is required though, and whatever satisfaction Maresca takes from the win must be put to one side as the final days of the transfer window beckon. City need to get Enzo Fernandez, Allan, and at least another forward through the door if they are to line up against Sunderland next week with the numbers to put enough points on the board to worry their rivals.
