Rayan Cherki refuses to cover his feelings, an open e-book for all to see and hear in instances of pleasure and disappointment.
Moments after Manchester City had put down their first heavyweight marker of the post-Pep Guardiola period by brushing apart Crystal Palace, he was requested reside on TV how much he loved the sport. Rather than offering the regular textbook reply, he instead gave a colourfully uncomplimentary – and unprintable – description of his own first-half efficiency.
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Erling Haaland, standing alongside Cherki as he waited to hand over the player-of-the-match award, could only snort at the France attacker’s sweary honesty.
Indeed, the 23-year-old also refuses to cover his expertise, making a nonsense of his self-criticism by unveiling a Selhurst Park masterclass with two sensible second-half objectives in the 4-1 victory.
Cherki made his affect under Guardiola last season, although there was always a feeling the mercurial signing from Lyon for a discount £30m could produce more. He made 33 Premier League appearances – but 14 of those were as a substitute.
And there is a sense that he already has something to show under new boss Enzo Maresca amid City’s huge attacking sources, coming off the bench to help the two late objectives that gave them victory against Bournemouth on the opening weekend.
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Cherki was seen in animated dialog with Maresca after the remaining whistle, but his reward was a begin at Selhurst Park and he delivered the kind of irresistible efficiency he, as properly as City, needed.
He had a disappointing World Cup with France, diminished to a bit-part participant, only beginning against England in the third-fourth place play-off, being changed at half-time with his aspect 4-0 down.
There were also videos that emerged with Cherki displaying obvious displeasure at coach Didier Deschamps.
Cherki has a repute for unpredictability, with Maresca saying after his contribution against Bournemouth that “if he is not happy he wants to show it”.
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But, though he has proved exhausting to please in the previous at Leicester City and Chelsea, Maresca was glad with Cherki here.
“He’s happy and I’m happy,” said Maresca. “It was not just his performance with the two goals, but his work off the ball.
“He pressed and gave us a full efficiency on the ball and off the ball.
“Rayan is Rayan. We know him. He loves football and it makes it so much easier to work with him.
“The high quality he has in this second helps the crew, not just with assists but objectives.”
Rayan Cherki was absolutely everywhere against Crystal Palace [BBC Sport]
It was not just Cherki’s wizardry with the ball that impressed Maresca, but his work off it.
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“His efficiency off the ball was unbelievable,” he added to BBC Match of the Day. “Everyone knows his high quality but when he works exhausting off the ball, he was in charge of Adam Wharton. He managed him. He was very good.”
Praise indeed as the outstanding Wharton is one of the players City have cast their eyes over as they try to strengthen Maresca’s squad before the close of the transfer window.
For all the team work that brought such praise from Maresca, it was the two moments of individual genius that will be remembered after a win and performance that suggested talk that City will inevitably go into decline after the departure of Guardiola has been greatly exaggerated.
He also produced those defining moments at crucial times, the first coming nine minutes into the second half with City leading 1-0 and Palace hoping to mount a recovery.
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Cherki took Phil Foden’s pass on the edge of the area, embarking on a slalom run surrounded by four Palace defenders, leaving them helpless before poking a left-foot finish past keeper Dean Henderson.
He celebrated with a touch of arrogance that is so often the preserve of the special ones, staring down the Palace fans on the Holmesdale Road end.
And after Palace pulled one back, it was Cherki who once again restored that two-goal advantage with a rising right-foot shot from 20 yards past Henderson.
Former England midfielder Jamie Redknapp told Sky Sports: “After Rayan Cherki painted a masterpiece, City began to play and got a actual maintain of it.
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“Cherki felt like the difference because his goals came at an important time. He is a genius. The things he can do with a football are absolute genius.
“There aren’t many Premier League gamers I’ve seen that can do this on the first purpose.
“Eden Hazard possibly, he was that kind of player. Georgi Kinkladze, there’ll be Manchester City fans from a previous generation who’ll remember him, who could get past people in a telephone box. This was very similar.
“Once Cherki is in the box, they are so scared to contact him. It’s absolute genius. He’s an absolute discount at £30m and gives you a new dimension. He gives you that ‘X-factor’. He does issues otherwise.
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Cherki’s purpose celebrations summed up his confidence and perspective, with Redknapp saying: “There was a bit of Cantona about him. He’s a beautiful player. With someone like Cherki you’ve got to let him do his thing.”
There may be ups and downs between the maverick Cherki and the demanding Maresca, but the France star with stardust in his boots confirmed he will not be pushed to the back of the queue among City’s array of attacking expertise – with perhaps more to come before the deadline.
And that is excellent news for Maresca as he tried to construct on the foundations left behind by Guardiola.
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