The Athletic has live coverage of <\/span><\/i>Manchester City vs Arsenal<\/span><\/i><\/a> in the Premier League.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n \u201cIf you don\u2019t play with pleasure, you can\u2019t show what you want.\u201d<\/p>\n Football, Rayan Cherki said during a day-in-the-life feature with Manchester City earlier this week, is like art for him. The Frenchman talked about the joy he gets from entertaining people and playing in a way that allows supporters to forget about their everyday lives for 90 minutes.<\/p>\n Prodigiously talented, equally comfortable on either foot and blessed with an extraordinary repertoire of flicks and tricks, Cherki would have lit up the Premier League in any season.<\/p>\n But his impact since arriving from Lyon last summer has felt all the more refreshing because of the way in which the Premier League has got lost in a world of pragmatism. Cherki prefers backheels to long-throws.<\/p>\n Aged 22, Cherki has been a breath of fresh air. He has nine goals in all competitions and is the first player to register 10 assists in their debut Premier League season since Dimitri Payet in 2015-16 \u2014 and bear in mind Cherki has only played 1,384 top-flight minutes.<\/p>\n Yet his contribution since signing for City can\u2019t be measured by facts and figures alone. How, for example, do you begin to explain the pass that he lifted over the head of Marc Cucurella at Stamford Bridge last Sunday?<\/p>\n That wonderful piece of improvisation features among the 23 moments that we have chosen to tell the story of Cherki\u2019s first season in English football, which includes everything from nutmegs and backheels to an unexpected handshake with an opposition goalscorer.<\/p>\n He is, in short, a one-off.<\/p>\n 1. Welcome to the Premier League \u2014 Wolves (away), August 16, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n A goal on his Premier League debut that featured a back-heel flick for a one-two with Nico O\u2019Reilly, who wasn\u2019t quite ready for that (the City players soon got up to speed; Cherki does two or three of those every game), followed by a stepover and a right-footed shot drilled home from the edge of the area. Fairly standard Cherki fare, to be honest, but a promising introduction nonetheless.<\/p>\n Du g\u00e9nie 💫🤩 pic.twitter.com\/pTGPGra8qu<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Manchester City (@ManCityFra) August 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 2. Eye of a needle \u2014 Everton (home), October 18, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n Returning from injury after six weeks out, Cherki appeared with five minutes remaining against Everton and it\u2019s no exaggeration to say that half a dozen clips could be picked from his cameo, including another exquisite backheel.<\/p>\n After coming on in the 85th minute\u2026 😮💨 pic.twitter.com\/P5MewqBtD0<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Manchester City (@ManCity) October 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The highlight for us was the free-kick that Cherki played from just inside his own half. It took five Everton players out of the game (a penny for the thoughts of James Tarkowski in particular), and set Erling Haaland clean through on goal, only for Jordan Pickford to save.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n 3. Bit of backspin, anyone? \u2014 Bournemouth (home), November 2, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n Same combination but a different outcome as Cherki clips a first-time left-footed pass behind the Bournemouth defence for Haaland to score.<\/p>\n The way Cherki receives from Phil Foden \u2014 face on \u2014 allows him to sweep the ball across himself but not follow through with his kicking action, which puts back-spin on a lofted pass that drops perfectly into Haaland\u2019s path.<\/p>\n Makes you wonder what Cherki\u2019s like at golf.<\/p>\n That was Cherki\u2019s second assist of the game following a headed through-ball (no, really) earlier on.<\/p>\n Rayan Cherki created both of Erling Haaland\u2019s goals in @ManCity<\/a>\u2019s win against Bournemouth 🤝 pic.twitter.com\/uFG7o7Q9Ay<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Premier League (@premierleague) November 3, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 4. One way out \u2014 Borussia Dortmund (home), November 5, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n Another late substitute appearance that delivered a showreel, including Cherki\u2019s first Champions League goal and \u2014 there\u2019s a theme developing here \u2014 an outrageous backheel.<\/p>\n Three Dortmund players have their eyes on Cherki, who finds himself down a cul-de-sac and facing the wrong way. Cherki casually backheels the ball between two of the Dortmund players to release Rayan Ait-Nouri.<\/p>\n It\u2019s like a comedy sketch as the Dortmund players turn to see where the ball has gone.<\/p>\n A minute later Cherki drifts in from the left and opens his Champions League account.<\/p>\n Rayan Cherki seals the game for Manchester City, rising from the bench to expertly put fire the ball into the Dortmund net to make it 4-1 💥<\/p>\n Watch on @tntsports<\/a> & @discoveryplusUK<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Q2diuUrReh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 5, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 5. Dancing feet \u2014 Sunderland (home), December 6, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n Poor Omar Alderete. Poor Dan Ballard. Poor Sunderland.<\/p>\n Running on to a Bernardo Silva pass, Cherki shapes to cross the ball with his right foot, chops back onto his left and then transfers it to his right again, wrong-footing Alderete (that\u2019s being polite). Ballard comes across and ends up doing the splits as Cherki slaloms around him.<\/p>\n Even with Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs coming out to close him down and the six-yard box a scene of chaos, Cherki has the presence of mind to realise that his best option is to pick out Haaland with a delicate chip. Out comes the pitching wedge and Haaland should score with a right-footed volley.<\/p>\n Rayan Cherki was magic for @mancity<\/a> against Sunderland 🪄 pic.twitter.com\/bjMXjHLqEh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Premier League (@premierleague) December 7, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 6. Messi doesn\u2019t it cross it like that \u2014 Sunderland (home), December 6, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n There is no need for Cherki to pull out the rabona, given that we\u2019re talking about the most two-footed player in the Premier League \u2014 actually, maybe in world football. But unlike Pep Guardiola, we\u2019re all for Cherki doing things that are beautifully unnecessary.<\/p>\n The rabona cross was delivered with his right foot and picked out Foden. When the two embraced, Foden looked at the City fans, pointed to Cherki, puffed out his cheeks and shook his head in a mixture of amazement and awe.<\/p>\n Guardiola, in contrast, was upset. \u201cI never saw Messi play a cross like he has done,\u201d the City manager said.<\/p>\n 🚨 Rabona assist 🚨<\/p>\n Take a bow, Rayan Cherki 🤩 pic.twitter.com\/aBnOd5vID6<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Premier League (@premierleague) December 6, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 7. Flicks, flicks & more flicks \u2014 Crystal Palace (away), December 14, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n In the absence of any footage of Cherki turning Selhurst Park into his playground (other than videos of his assist for Foden, which was brilliant but not quite what we\u2019re after), you\u2019ll have to take our word for it (and there are images below to help) that he came close to breaking the unofficial record for the most backheels in a match.<\/p>\n Three are highlighted in this GIF, with the last of them (picture seven onwards) arguably the pick of the bunch because of the way that Cherki, showing confidence bordering on arrogance, nonchalantly allows the ball to slide off the outside of his left foot, and into the path of Bernardo. If only he could learn to relax a bit more on the pitch.<\/p>\n 8. Not that way, Mikkel \u2014 Brentford (home), December 17, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n The right-footed shot, curled into the top corner from just outside the penalty area, is superb, but it\u2019s the chop, just after taking the ball down on his chest, that sets everything up.<\/p>\n Mikkel Damsgaard ends up facing one way and Cherki the other, after the Brentford midfielder sprints across the area to close him down. Damsgaard assumed Cherki would strike the ball with his left. By the time he tried to make an emergency stop, he was anxiously looking back over his shoulder as Cherki prepared to shoot with his right. The technique is exceptional.<\/p>\n Stunning.@rayan_cherki<\/a> ✨ pic.twitter.com\/JQ9Pixdf6B<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Manchester City (@ManCity) December 18, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 9. Cherki\u2019s coaching manual \u2014 West Ham United (home), December 20, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n When the passing lane is blocked, players are typically coached to use another player \u2014 \u201cthe third man\u201d \u2014 to find a way to get the ball to the team-mate who is hidden. There are all sorts of masterclasses explaining how to achieve that, including a fascinating video from Xavi on the third-man concept that was intrinsic to how Barcelona played.<\/p>\n Cherki, naturally, has his own solution and you won\u2019t find it in any coaching manual. He flicks the ball up and volleys it over the head of the West Ham left-back Oliver Scarles, and Tijjani Reijnders receives it on the other side. Simple, really.<\/p>\n 10. La Croqueta \u2014 West Ham (home), December 20, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n Mateus Fernandes overruns the ball and Cherki, using a move known as La Croqueta \u2014 prime Andres Iniesta, basically \u2014 elegantly shifts it between his left and right foot to dance away from the West Ham midfielder.<\/p>\n After dribbling into the penalty area with his left foot, he squeezes a ball between two West Ham players with his right (just in case this message hasn\u2019t come through already, it really helps to be two-footed, kids).<\/p>\n Haaland offloads the ball to Reijnders and City have a second goal.<\/p>\n Cherki. Haaland. Reijnders. Goal ⚽️<\/p>\n The perfect @ManCity<\/a> combination 👏 pic.twitter.com\/VFiwi9TSOD<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Premier League (@premierleague) December 20, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 11. Receive left, pass right \u2014 Nottingham Forest (away), December 27, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n A go-to move for City and Cherki, who loves a reverse pass, often threaded straight for a diagonal run. It\u2019s a move that plays to his skillset because he can receive or dribble with one foot (the left in this case) and pass so easily with the other.<\/p>\n In this instance, there\u2019s additional disguise on the pass because of the way that Cherki pivots from his left to right foot, almost chopping down on the ball that he delivers to Reijnders.<\/p>\n It\u2019s classic No 1o play, in an era when the No 10 is supposed to be dead.<\/p>\n Long live Cherki.<\/p>\n The pass and finish 🤌<\/p>\n Tijjani Reijnders links up with Rayan Cherki to open the scoring for Man City!@tntsports<\/a> & @discoveryplusUK<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Z48lqRFAm4<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 12. Any foot, any time, any place \u2014 Nottingham Forest (away), December 27, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n A set piece designed for a man who couldn\u2019t care less whether the ball arrives on his left or right foot, on the floor or in the air. Stepping onto Josko Gvardiol\u2019s header from a corner, Cherki takes the ball first-time, on the half volley, on his right foot (allegedly his weaker foot; allegations that are totally unproven), and drills City into the lead.<\/p>\n A huge moment! 👀<\/p>\n Rayan Cherki is left with space in the box and restores Man City\u2019s lead. @tntsports<\/a> & @discoveryplusUK<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/s4FchxHFvy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) December 27, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 13. A free \u2018sole\u2019 \u2014 Sunderland (away), January 1, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s a time and a place to take players on, and just outside your own penalty area with the game goalless doesn\u2019t tick either box, especially against a team that presses aggressively. Unless you\u2019re Cherki \u2014 a \u201cfree soul\u201d\u00a0 (Guardiola\u2019s words) \u2014 and play how you please.<\/p>\n As Trai Hume and Simon Adingra hunt him down, Cherki performs a Cruyff turn on the former and a lovely drag-back on the latter, using the sole of his foot (the most used sole in world football) to pull the ball back with his left before quickly pushing it forward with his right, and all in one smooth motion. Adingra is bamboozled and brings Cherki down.<\/p>\n 14. \u2018Bien jou\u00e9, mon gar\u00e7on!\u2019 \u2014 Exeter City (home), January 10, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Exeter, a struggling League One club, were 9-0 down against City at the Etihad Stadium in the FA Cup when 19-year-old George Birch arrowed the ball into the top corner from 23 yards out. It was the goal of the game on a day that Cherki didn\u2019t score.<\/p>\n As Birch ran back to the halfway line with the ball under his arm (teenage optimism at its best, mindful Exeter needed another eight goals to force extra-time), Cherki held out his hand to congratulate him. Birch was so taken aback that he almost ran straight on by.<\/p>\n What a lovely touch.<\/p>\n Rayan Cherki went out of his way to praise Exeter City\u2019s George Birch after his first senior goal made it 9-1 against Man City 👏<\/p>\n (via @officialecfc<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/S5v1gEtgf5<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) January 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 15. Genius \u2014 Newcastle United (away), January 13, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n A work of art because of the way in which this goal is beautifully constructed by Ait-Nouri and Cherki, who plays football in the same way that the snooker legend Ronnie O\u2019Sullivan makes a 147 break: always thinking several shots ahead (passes in Cherki\u2019s case, obviously).<\/p>\n Firstly, Cherki moves on the blindside of Joelinton, taking up a position to receive from Antoine Semenyo. Ait-Nouri is on the move before Semenyo plays that pass, and that allows the left-back to collect Cherki\u2019s wonderful flick (you can hear a collective intake of breath in the stadium).<\/p>\n Cherki\u2019s first thought after that flick \u2014 actually, before that flick \u2014 is to get into position for the return. Ait-Nouri obliges and Cherki sweeps home first-time. A lovely goal.<\/p>\n \u201cManchester City dish out a serious blow\u201d 💥<\/p>\n Rayan Cherki scores in the 99th minute! pic.twitter.com\/cYpqDwAksp<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 13, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 16. Tying Burn & Ramsey in knots \u2014 Newcastle (home), February 4, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n James Trafford rolls the ball out to the feet of Cherki, who is 30 yards from his goal. As Dan Burn runs in to press, Cherki shifts away from him and is immediately confronted by Jacob Ramsey. Cherki glides around Ramsey using his favourite La Croqueta move and then tucks the ball between Burn\u2019s legs. Naughty.<\/p>\n Burn keeps on running \u2014 heading west. Cherki is now travelling north.<\/p>\n In the background, Abdukodir Khusanov puts a hand on his head, flabbergasted at what he has just seen.<\/p>\n Ramsey, to his credit, comes back for more. Using the Frenkie de Jong turn, Cherki fakes to keep running and turns back on himself, and Ramsey runs three yards past.<\/p>\n After all of that, Cherki passes back to Rodri. City have no longer escaped the Newcastle press, but they still have the ball and Cherki, you sense, has made himself feel good. Think of it like going Christmas shopping and buying yourself a present.<\/p>\n A magician at work 🪄 pic.twitter.com\/HPE5C8C0lK<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Manchester City (@ManCity) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 17. Inch-perfect \u2014 Leeds United (away), February 28, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Three-versus-three on City\u2019s left-hand side, seconds before the half-time whistle sounds at Elland Road. Cherki is on the ball, patiently waiting for the movement that will prise open a gap to thread a pass. As Ait-Nouri darts in behind, Omar Marmoush runs laterally towards the touchline, dragging James Justin with him, and that creates the passing lane for Cherki to feed the City left-back.<\/p>\n If you could pick the ball up and place it on the spot of grass where it needs to be in order for Ait-Nouri to cross without breaking his stride, it\u2019s exactly where Cherki\u2019s pass ends up. Ait-Nouri delivers a low centre and Cherki is literally skipping with joy (fourth image in the GIF above) as Semenyo arrives to convert.<\/p>\n Cherki 🤝 Ait-Nouri 🤝 Semenyo pic.twitter.com\/L6KbSL1Z0s<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Manchester City (@ManCity) February 28, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 18. Not in the script \u2014 West Ham (away), March 14, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Hang on a minute, we didn\u2019t sign up for this kind of content. It\u2019s 1-1 with less than four minutes remaining, West Ham are on the counter-attack and Cherki is sprinting back from inside his own half to rob Jarrod Bowen of the ball.<\/p>\n Even allowing for the fact that Cherki lost possession in the first place, this is not the sort of defensive work that we were led to believe he embraces.<\/p>\n What have you done to him, Pep?<\/p>\n 19. Ball-juggling at Wembley \u2014 Arsenal, March 22, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n Ah, this is much more like it. Close to the left touchline, Cherki takes a diagonal pass on his chest and instead of letting the ball drop, keeps it up with his left foot, then his right, then his left again. Manchester City are leading 2-0 against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final and Cherki is ball-juggling.<\/p>\n Guardiola is shown shaking his head, Ben White clatters into Cherki moments later, and a moral panic follows, including Alan Pardew (didn\u2019t he once dance on the touchline in a cup final that his team lost?) telling us that ball-juggling during a game is an insult.<\/p>\n Some of us just saw it for what it was: Cherki being Cherki.<\/p>\n Safe to say Ben White and Pep Guardiola weren\u2019t fans of Rayan Cherki\u2019s juggling\u2026 🤹😅 pic.twitter.com\/JmLLNGlxuR<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) March 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 20. Sorcery<\/strong> \u2014\u00a0Liverpool (home), April 4 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n What even is this trick? Up against Milos Kerkez on the City right, Cherki places his left foot on top of the ball and passes it with his right before his left foot has returned to the ground (it\u2019s a lot more fun than that sounds).<\/p>\n Poetry in motion 🥹@ErlingHaaland<\/a> @ManCity<\/a> #EmiratesFACup<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/R1iPAJB1YA<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Emirates FA Cup (@EmiratesFACup) April 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Did he need to do that? Possibly not. Is he showboating? Probably. Have you got a problem with that? Personally, no.<\/p>\n End result? Semenyo runs onto the ball and crosses for Haaland to send a glancing header into the far corner.<\/p>\n Cherki ➡️ Semenyo ➡️ Haaland 🎯 pic.twitter.com\/7pB4oc5Lt7<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Manchester City (@ManCity) April 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 21. Let me entertain you \u2014 Liverpool (home), April 4, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n As worrying Cherki sights go, this must be right up there for Guardiola. Cherki is not only dribbling in his own penalty area but also running in the wrong direction. All the while, Dominik Szoboszlai is hounding him.<\/p>\n Any other footballer would lay the ball off to Khusanov, who is totally free. But Cherki holds onto it, retreats to his own by-line, turns one way and then the other, throws in a sole roll for good measure, waits for Florian Wirtz to come over too, and then passes the ball between the two Liverpool players.<\/p>\n As Szoboszlai stands with arms by his side, baffled by what has just happened, Cherki sets off on a celebration, arms aloft, by the corner flag, milking the applause. You can\u2019t help but smile.<\/p>\n 22. Pass of the season \u2014 Chelsea (away), April 12, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n A pass so good that only Cherki saw it.<\/p>\n There are 15 players within 10 yards of Cherki as he glides across the edge of a crowded penalty area, away from Jorrel Hato and then Estevao. At pitch level, travelling at speed, that must look like a blur of bodies.<\/p>\n Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Cherki spots Marc Guehi and a split-second later stabs the ball with his left foot. The disguise on the pass is so clever that three Chelsea players \u2014 Malo Gusto, Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro \u2014 are totally wrong-footed at the moment of contact, all of them expecting Cherki to go on the outside, where Bernardo is totally free.<\/p>\n Played over a distance of less than 10 yards, the pass is guided perfectly between Neto and Joao Pedro. It\u2019s more than an assist; it\u2019s the pass of the season.<\/p>\n Rayan Cherki. To Marc Guehi. To pure joy ☺️<\/p>\n 🔵 @ManCity<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/02h7Fj8E8H<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Premier League (@premierleague) April 17, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n 23. Back to Cherki\u2019s coaching manual \u2014 Chelsea (away), Apr 12, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n West Ham at home all over again. Cherki is trapped against the right touchline and standing with his left foot on top of the ball, in the same way that footballers posed for photos at the start of the 20th century. Cucurella is cutting off a pass down the line (at least that\u2019s what he thinks).<\/p>\n What\u2019s interesting here is that Semenyo sets off early on a run in behind, suggesting that the City players know what\u2019s coming (has Guardiola actually signed this move off?), unlike when Cherki did it against West Ham.<\/p>\n Either way, Cherki casually flicks up the ball \u2014 it\u2019s so carefree that it could be part of his warm-up (that\u2019s worth watching, by the way) \u2014 and volleys it over the head of Cucurella, perfectly into Semenyo\u2019s stride. The Stamford Bridge crowd gasp (a lovely sound, that) at the audacity of it.<\/p>\n Trademark Cherki. @ManCity<\/a> @rayan_cherki<\/a> 💫 pic.twitter.com\/V7ait3L1Xm<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Premier League (@premierleague) April 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n
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