Exclusive. Rayan Cherki announced himself to the Premier League in spectacular fashion on Saturday afternoon, delivering a performance that will live long in the memory of everyone fortunate enough to witness it. The French playmaker's rabona assist for Phil Foden's goal was not merely a piece of skill; it was a statement of intent from a player finally finding his feet at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Sunderland might have been routine on paper, but Cherki ensured it became appointment viewing. Sources close to the City dressing room confirm Pep Guardiola has been privately enthusing about the 22-year-old's potential since his arrival from Lyon, and Saturday represented the moment that potential crystallised into something tangible.
The moment that stopped the Etihad
It arrived in the 65th minute. Erling Haaland gathered possession in his own half, back to goal, and initiated the transition that would produce one of the most audacious assists in Premier League history. The ball found its way to Cherki on the right flank, with Sunderland's defence anticipating a conventional cross or cut inside.
What followed defied logic. Cherki swung his right leg behind his left, executing a perfect rabona that delivered the ball onto Foden's head at the near post. The England international simply had to nod it past Robin Roefs, but his celebration told its own story. Foden sprinted directly towards Cherki, mouth agape, eyes wide with disbelief at what his teammate had just produced.
The Etihad erupted. Guardiola, typically animated on the touchline, allowed himself a rare moment of pure appreciation. The understanding is Cherki has been given license to express himself, to be what Guardiola calls City's free soul, and Saturday represented the ultimate vindication of that trust.
Title race implications
City entered the afternoon buoyed by events at Villa Park, where Aston Villa had inflicted a dramatic defeat on league leaders Arsenal. The opportunity to close the gap from five points to two was not lost on Guardiola's men, though Sunderland's stubborn resistance initially threatened to frustrate.
Regis Le Bris had organised his side superbly, arriving at the Etihad having lost just once in their previous seven matches. The Black Cats sat seventh before kick-off, their maiden Premier League campaign since 2016-17 exceeding all expectations. For 30 minutes, they frustrated City with discipline and compactness that belied their promoted status.
Haaland barely touched the ball in the opening period. Foden and Bernardo Silva both missed the target as City's elaborate approach play foundered against Sunderland's organisation. The breakthrough, when it arrived, came from an unlikely source and an unexpected method.
Dias breaks the deadlock
Ruben Dias is not typically associated with spectacular long-range strikes, yet the Portuguese centre-back produced exactly that in the 31st minute. From fully 30 yards, Dias unleashed a fierce drive that took a deflection and flew past Roefs. It was a no-nonsense solution to a problem that had appeared to require surgical precision.
Cherki had already begun to influence proceedings by then, his quick feet and inventive passing creating space where none seemed to exist. He teed up Dias for the opener, the first indication that this would be his afternoon. Yet the best was still to come.
Josko Gvardiol doubled the advantage before the interval, heading home from a corner to give City breathing room that their first-half dominance had deserved. Sunderland, to their credit, refused to capitulate. Wilson Isidor forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a smart save after capitalising on a rare Dias lapse, while Granit Xhaka rattled the near post with a fierce drive from a corner that the Italian goalkeeper would have been unable to reach.
Cherki's complete performance
The third goal, and Cherki's moment of magic, killed the contest. Yet the statistics only tell part of the story. Beyond the rabona, the Frenchman had already dribbled around, past and through three defenders before delivering a delicate chip that Haaland chopped goalwards, only for Lutsharel Geertruida to clear off the line.
Sources indicate Cherki could have finished with four assists had Tijjani Reijnders and Haaland found their shooting boots. He was denied a goal of his own by a fine Roefs save, his afternoon's work representing comfortably the best individual performance Sunderland have faced this season.
Foden's goal was his fifth in three Premier League matches, a remarkable return for a player who had netted just once in his previous 20 appearances. The partnership between the England international and Cherki is developing into something special, their interchanging positions and intuitive understanding creating chaos for opposition defences.
Sunderland's sting in the tail
A miserable afternoon for the visitors was compounded in stoppage time when substitute Luke O'Nien received a straight red card just four minutes after entering the fray. His studs-up challenge on Matheus Nunes left referee Andy Madley with no choice, VAR confirming the decision that will see O'Nien suspended for the Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle next weekend.
Le Bris had already withdrawn Xhaka and Noah Sadiki with one eye on that fixture, pragmatic substitutions that ensured both will avoid suspension. The understanding is Sunderland view the derby as their priority, and despite this chastening defeat, they remain sixth in the table with their season very much on track.
City's statement of intent
For Guardiola, the afternoon represented validation that his retooled squad can challenge Arsenal for the title. City have now won seven consecutive home league matches, scoring 22 goals in the process. They have taken maximum points from their last three Saturday 3pm kick-offs by an aggregate score of 13-3.
The gap to Arsenal stands at two points with the season approaching its midway point. City's superior goal difference means a single point effectively separates the top two, setting up a fascinating second half of the campaign.
Yet the lasting image from Saturday will be Cherki's rabona, a piece of skill that transcended the result and reminded everyone why football remains the beautiful game. The Frenchman is just getting started.
