Overview
- Manchester City beat Bournemouth 3-1, with an Erling Haaland brace and a Nico O’Reilly goal, as Rayan Cherki set up both of Haaland’s strikes.
- Pep Guardiola said he can play without a traditional striker and named Cherki as a fit for a false-nine role, stressing the need for more goals beyond Haaland.
- Erling Haaland praised Cherki on Sky Sports, calling his two assists "amazing" and saying he hopes there will be many more.
- Per Squawka, Cherki is the only player in Europe’s top five leagues to record multiple assists in five separate matches across all competitions in 2025.
- Signed from Lyon for around £30m and slowed by early injuries, Cherki’s form arrives as Guardiola weighs managing Haaland’s workload, with Borussia Dortmund next in the Champions League.