Can Rayan Cherki be Manchester City’s new Kevin De Bruyne for Erling Haaland? Cherki provided two assists for the phenomenal striker, as Manchester City beat Bournemouth, and also provided some compelling evidence that he can help fill the creative gap left by De Bruyne’s departure.
Haaland will certainly hope so. As well as he has linked with Phil Foden, he needs even more ammunition – City actually do not create enough chances for him – and Cherki is capable of doing that.
Haaland’s goals took his Premier League total to an astonishing 13 already this season, from just 10 games, which is more than twice as many as his nearest rival.
In fact, Haaland alone has scored more than half of the Premier League clubs. Even more pertinently, he now has 98 league goals in 107 games. The fastest to the century before him? That was Alan Shearer, who took 124 matches. Haaland will obliterate that record.
He could have done it here. Both of his goals were brilliantly taken and the image of the match was of Cherki with his arms raised in celebration after his clever header sent Haaland clear on goal from half-way. He still had 40 yards to go, but Cherki knew the goal was inevitably.
