Selhurst Park got a lesson in ruthlessness Friday night, and it came with a brand new haircut.
Erling Haaland walked in with a buzz cut and walked out with two goals, dragging Manchester City to a swaggering 4-1 win over Crystal Palace to make it two wins from two in the 2026-27 Premier League.
Short hair, same nightmare
The 26-year-old Norwegian didn’t need his flowing locks to find the net. He needed about 45 minutes.
Haaland opened the scoring with a looping header in the first half, then jogged away and rubbed his freshly shaved head like he’d just answered every meme about him. Later, he finished it with a vicious left-footed strike to kill the game.
That takes him to 10 goals in just seven career Premier League games against Palace. Same stadium, same story.
City looked slick under new boss Enzo Maresca. They moved the ball fast, pressed hard, and didn’t let Palace breathe. The Eagles pulled one back, but it felt like a consolation in a fight that was over early.
Cherki doubles up as City flex
While Haaland grabbed the headlines, Rayan Cherki stole a share of the spotlight with a brace of his own. The Frenchman was sharp, direct, and exactly the kind of creative punch City wanted this summer.
4-1. Two games played. Two wins. And a Golden Boot favorite who just made himself even harder to mark.
Haaland now has three Golden Boots in the last four seasons, and on this evidence he’s coming for a fourth. New look. Same problem for defenders.
