Normally, Erling Haaland’s inevitable goals power Manchester City in the business end of the season.
But the Norwegian’s post-winter slowdown has been more barren than usual, with the striker only scoring six league goals in 2026.
Man City have needed someone to step up. And that player has been none other than Rayan Cherki.
Cherki’s free role and influence on matches has grown, as has Pep Guardiola’s confidence in him. The Frenchman has been directly involved in 13 goals across 26 league matches this season. But he’s only played more than 65 minutes in half of those appearances.
Guardiola likes rotation, to keep his sides fresh but also the opposition guessing. He also prefers players who are on the more controlled side, so it’s wonderful to see someone as unpredictable as Cherki blossoming under Guardiola.
But how has Cherki become Man City’s lynchpin?
In this article we’ll cover:
Dictating the game
Cherki plays just ahead of Bernardo Silva and Rodri, which seems to have freed the Frenchman up. He’s now popping up centreally, in the half-spaces and out wide.
Players like Cherki are needed to unlock defences in a season such as this, where games are being decided more on set-pieces. When Cherki receives the ball with his back to goal, he attracts a defender and can use his quick-thinking and spontaneity to come up with a solution.
That’s what makes Cherki so glorious to watch. You’re not sure what he’s going to do next to get past defenders. There was a moment against Chelsea where he flicked the ball up and smacked a pass around Marc Cucurella to his advancing teammate.
You can see his growth as the go-to guy for Man City when they need more creativity. He’s taking more of the ball on and even has control of corners, which he likes to take short.
His statistics back this up. The Frenchman has averaged 2.33 accurate crosses per 90 minutes in the league this season. He’s also produced 6.25 take-ons, 4.73 progressive runs and averages 2.0 shots on
Cherki can produce a pass, or a cross, at the end of an attack. But he’s also growing in terms of dribbling and passing to getan attack going in the first place.
The deft touches, cute flicks and stepovers are stylish. But there is a productive method to his madness that wasn’t there before.
Tight spaces and trickery
There is a trickery to the way he produces each action. The quick roll across with his studs to dribble, the unpredictable skill when you don’t expect it, it’s all to create a sliver of space as he thinks on his feet.
Most players play with the intention of being ‘safe’ and keeping the game going. But Cherki is most effective when he waits for players to come up against him.
Playing in tight spaces is a unique skill that even Kevin De Bruyne didn’t possess. The Belgian could cut teams open with passes or drive forward with the ball. But Cherki’s bag of tricks is more suited to the modern game as defences and out-of-possession setups are miles more compact.
It takes players time under Guardiola to come good. Think back to when Bernardo Silva was first signed, or even Rodri. So it’s impressive that Cherki is coming good in his maiden season.
Cherki has been moved from the right wing to No.10, as his effectiveness in the middle of the pitch has grown. It aligns with Guardiola’s change from wanting to control matches to turning to skilful, fast players, who can dribble and drive forwards on the ball.
Cherki, Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo, Tijjani Reijnders. The list of Man City players who aren’t afraid to get the ball and dribble forward goes on. So it’s fitting that Cherki is becoming their creative metronome.
As Guardiola has looked for a solution throughtout the season, his focus as been on in-possession rather than out-of-possession. Even in the face of embarrasing defeats to Bodo/Glimt or in the Manchester derby.
Cherki’s growing influence, trickery and ‘unicorn’ ability to fashion attacks has simply become too good for Guardiola to not rely on.