Rayan Cherki has been brilliant for Manchester City since arriving at the club from Lyon last summer. In all competitions, Cherki has scored nine goals and added nine assists in 30 appearances. He has also dazzled with his dribbling, passing, and trickery in possession. Cherki has also shown that he has quickly come to grips with Pep Guardiola’s demands. Heading into Manchester City’s massive Premier League match against Liverpool at Anfield, there is a sense that playing at Anfield in a big fixture could be the ideal setting for Cherki to thrive and show just how good a player he is and how good he could become.
Rayan Cherki could be the ideal player to set Manchester City on their way at Anfield.
To play well and dominate a match as a player against Liverpool at Anfield typically requires a player with a big personality to pull off this feat. Manchester City have had all-conquering sides throughout Pep Guardiola’s tenure as manager. They have also been blessed to have some of the best players in Premier League history in their ranks across Pep Guardiola’s time at the club. For whatever reason, City have typically not played well at Anfield. Either as a collective, or City’s stars haven’t fired at Anfield against Liverpool. If it takes a player with a big personality, who demands the ball to thrive and lead his team to victory at Anfield, Rayan Cherki fits that particular bill.
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Cherki demands the ball off his teammates which greatly aids his game.
Take Cherki’s exceptional technical ability out of the equation for a second, and only looking at his personality, the French international demands the ball. He wants to influence matches in possession. This trait has stood out the more Cherki has grown into his role as a Manchester City player. Although he, like his teammates, wasn’t at his best in Manchester City’s 2-nil derby defeat to Manchester United last month, when Cherki replaced Phil Foden at halftime, he instantly demanded the ball and wanted to make an impact in a big match. On that day, it didn’t pay off. City were poor, and Cherki couldn’t turn the tide at Old Trafford. But unlike many of his teammates, Cherki didn’t shirk the issue. He wanted to make an impact and tried to lift his team. That trait stood out on derby day, and it could prove to be vital in deciding tomorrow’s match at Anfield.
Of course, couple Cherki’s clear desire to demand the ball, with his sublime technical ability and penchant to break open a game with the unexpected, he looms as a player who could thrive for Manchester City against Liverpool at Anfield.
Pep Guardiola is clearly pushing Cherki to become one of the best players in football.
What has also stood out this season is that Pep Guardiola is determined to help guide and push Rayan Cherki to get the most out of his extraordinary talent. Guardiola has acknowledged how talented Cherki is, but he also clearly wants to push him to fulfil his potential and not just be a player who relies on his exceptional talent. Speaking on Cherki and his talent yesterday during his pre-game press conference, Guardiola said: “In terms of skills, personality is… everyone can see it, day by day! He’s (Rayan Cherki) top, top class.”
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“Enough to sustain for many years just with that? It’s a question he has to ask himself. What does he want to become? But… everyone sees it.”
If Rayan Cherki solely relied on his talent throughout his career, he’d still become one of the best players in world football. He is that good. Pep Guardiola wants Cherki to push himself even further. Guardiola wants Cherki to maximize his talent. The early signs so far at Manchester City are that Cherki is determined to fulfill Guardiola’s wishes. If Cherki can put in a virtuoso performance against Liverpool at Anfield, he’ll provide a semblance of an answer to Pep Guardiola’s question. Looking at Cherki’s personality as a player, he is more than capable of doing just that tomorrow in a massive Premier League fixture for his team.
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