Adam Booker · 28 August 2026

Rayan Cherki looked virtually impossible to stop at times, and he may well have been the player who decided the match for Manchester City against Crystal Palace this evening.

The French attacker displayed his superb close control after the interval to put Enzo Maresca's side 2-0 ahead, although Palace reduced the deficit only a few minutes later.

But just when it appeared the home side were gathering momentum and threatening to storm back into the contest, Cherki struck his second goal of the night from outside the box to restore the two-goal cushion.

It may have seemed like a major blow when Kevin De Bruyne left the club in the summer of 2025, but Cherki is rapidly establishing himself as City's focal point in attack.

Footballers like Cherki are a rare breed now. He has swagger, skill and the clinical touch needed to find the net.

Right now, it feels like this is Cherki's world and everyone else is simply living in it.