A magician and a maverick - this could be Cherki's moment for Man City

Chief football writer at Selhurst Park Published 20 minutes ago Rayan Cherki refuses to hide his emotions, an open book for all to see and hear in times of joy and disappointment.

Moments after Manchester City had put down their first heavyweight marker of the post-Pep Guardiola era by brushing aside Crystal Palace , he was asked live on TV how much he enjoyed the game. Rather than providing the usual textbook answer, he instead gave a colourfully uncomplimentary – and unprintable - description of his own first-half performance.

Erling Haaland, standing alongside Cherki as he waited to hand over the player-of-the-match award, could only laugh at the France attacker's sweary honesty.