‘Bargain of the summer’ – Man City fans beg Pep Guardiola to start ‘special’ player vs Liverpool
Pep Guardiola has been ordered to make an obvious change to his starting lineup ahead of Man City’s huge Premier League clash with Liverpool.
Arne Slot’s side beat Real Madrid to make it back-to-back wins for the first time since September, with the two teams only separated by a point in the Premier League standings after 10 games.
Man City beat Borussia Dortmund 4-1 on Wednesday, 5 November, on the other hand, making it 10 wins from their last 13 games across all competitions, with Erling Haaland on target once again.
Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki also chipped in with goals, hitting back at concerns over the lack of goals around the Norwegian star, and fans have now seen enough for the latter to be given a start.
Man City fans are crying out for Rayan Cherki to start vs Liverpool
Despite starting on the bench, Cherki was just as impactful as his teammates, striking from just inside the penalty area to add a fourth to the scoreline in the first minute of added time.
Fans have seen enough already to know that the young Frenchman is ready for a tough challenge.
As well as hitting the back of the net, Cherki brought some much-needed flair to the pitch, keeping supporters entertained right up until the final whistle was blown at the Etihad Stadium.
- @kdb_hut: “Rayan Cherki gradually registering his presence in Europe… World-class player.”
- @iamBright001: “What a maestro wizard. He must be in that starting XI against Liverpool, Foden and Cherki are gonna destroy those guys. @PepTeam, please, this man is a joy to watch! World-class demon and an instant impact player…. A Yamal-esque player if not the world’s best!”
- @bigJo_Jo0: “Pep should start him against Liverpool.”
If he were to play like this against Liverpool, the Citizens would breeze past the Reds at the weekend.
Cherki’s cameo in numbers against Borussia Dortmund
In about 15 minutes, Cherki won the hearts of the home supporters, not just through his goal but also his dazzling stats. He clearly had something to prove, and now Guardiola has to listen.
The 22-year-old had 10 touches, completed 100 per cent of his dribbles, made two recoveries, won both of his ground duels, and also won a foul as City saw out the victory [FotMob].
While most of his big moments have come off the bench, it is about time that the manager allowed him to express himself from the very start, and Slot might not be able to deal with what hits him.
It is a huge game to be thrown into, but if anyone has the skills to dictate the game, it is certainly Cherki.