Jamie Redknapp has described Rayan Cherki as a genius after the Frenchman scored twice to help fire Manchester City to a 4-1 win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. While Erling Haaland opened and closed the scoring, it was Cherki’s early second-half double that truly took the game away from Palace with his first goal in particular drawing widespread praise.
A Goal Worth Celebrating
Cherki’s opener saw him glide between several Palace defenders before poking the ball home, a moment Redknapp described simply as a masterpiece. He said the timing of the goals made Cherki the clear difference-maker in the match, praising the sheer quality of what the Frenchman is capable of doing with the ball.
Redknapp went further in his analysis, highlighting the balance and composure Cherki showed in tight spaces before still finding the audacity to shift the ball onto his weaker side and finish into the corner a level of skill he suggested few current Premier League players possess. He compared the goal to something Eden Hazard might have produced during his own career, citing a similar low centre of gravity and ability to manoeuvre the ball away from defenders in confined spaces. Redknapp also drew a comparison to Manchester City cult hero Georgi Kinkladze, fondly remembered by an earlier generation of City fans for his own ability to beat multiple opponents in tight areas.
Should Maresca Give Cherki Total Freedom?
Redknapp acknowledged the tension between Cherki’s free-flowing style and Enzo Maresca’s generally structured approach, noting fellow City midfielder Elliot Anderson has spoken about needing to discipline his own positioning under the new head coach. But Redknapp argued that a talent like Cherki, by nature a maverick, needs to be given license to express himself rather than be constrained by rigid tactical structure. He noted Cherki himself felt below his best in the first half before transforming the game with a moment of individual brilliance after the break.
Speaking even before kick-off, Redknapp had already made the case that modern management increasingly favours structure and discipline out of possession, at the expense of watching genuinely gifted individual players express themselves something he personally values far more than watching a team simply circulate the ball sideways. He pointed to Cherki’s double assist off the bench in City’s opening-day comeback win over Bournemouth as evidence of the impact his freedom to create can have when games are tight.
A Lesson From Chelsea?
Redknapp suggested one criticism of Cherki’s time at Chelsea was that the club didn’t always get the ball to him or team-mate Cole Palmer in the right areas often enough, even accounting for injuries. His broader point was that a player of Cherki’s profile can’t simply be told to stay wide and wait for service; instead, he needs the freedom to drift and find pockets of space himself. Redknapp acknowledged that games involving a more considered midfield setup potentially featuring Enzo Fernandez, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Elliot Anderson together, should City complete a Fernandez deal might call for a slightly more conservative approach at times. But in tight, high-stakes matches, he believes players like Cherki, who consistently find team-mates like Haaland with incisive passing, are exactly what a team needs.
Where Cherki Could Improve
Rather than reining Cherki in, Redknapp wants to see him attempt even more in tight areas, arguing that defenders are visibly hesitant to challenge him once he enters the penalty box given his comfort on either foot making him genuinely difficult to predict or contain, unlike players with an obvious preferred side. He referenced Cherki’s goal against Arsenal last season as a clear example, dropping his shoulder to go inside on his right foot against Gabriel with what looked like minimal effort.
Maresca’s Assessment
Enzo Maresca offered his own praise for Cherki’s overall performance, stressing it wasn’t just the two goals that impressed him but the Frenchman’s work off the ball too pressing effectively and taking responsibility for tracking Palace’s Adam Wharton throughout the match. Maresca described the display as a genuinely complete performance both with and without possession.
He also spoke warmly about Cherki’s attitude, noting his evident love for the game makes him straightforward to coach, and said the club is already well aware of the quality he possesses. Maresca confirmed Cherki is already contributing significantly to the team’s goal and assist numbers this season, and expressed confidence his influence will only grow further as the campaign continues.
Quick Facts: Cherki’s Impact So Far
- Vs Crystal Palace: 2 goals
- Vs Bournemouth (opening day): 2 assists off the bench
- Season tally so far: 2 goals, 2 assists
- Redknapp’s comparisons: Eden Hazard, Georgi Kinkladze
- Maresca’s verdict: Praised his “complete” performance on and off the ball
