Rayan Cherki’s stunning rabona assist propelled Manchester City to a 3-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday, a moment lauded as a potential turning point in the Premier League title race.
The 22-year-old French playmaker’s audacious pass for Phil Foden, which ultimately hit the crossbar before going in, has already been hailed as the “assist of the season” by former City defender Steph Houghton, even as manager Pep Guardiola urged the young star to prioritize simplicity in his game.
City’s win, secured at a rain-soaked Etihad Stadium, came at a crucial time following Arsenal’s late defeat to Aston Villa, closing the gap at the top of the table to just two points.
Cherki was instrumental in City’s attacking play, initially setting up Ruben Dias for the opening goal with a 30-yard strike. However, it was his second assist that captivated the crowd and sparked debate.
Running at sunderland’s Trai Hume, Cherki skillfully beat his defender before delivering a perfectly weighted rabona cross that Foden headed towards goal, with the ball glancing off the crossbar and into the net.
“I worked for that,” Cherki told BBC Match of the Day. “I know my quality, which is my technique, when I play with Phil [Foden], Erling [Haaland], Omar [Marmoush], it’s very important to give the good balls for them.”
Despite the brilliance of the assist, Guardiola cautioned Cherki against relying too heavily on such flamboyant play, suggesting he study the example of Lionel Messi‘s effective simplicity.
“I never saw Messi play a cross like he has done,” Guardiola stated. “Messi is the best player to play the game but I never saw these kind of crosses.”
Guardiola emphasized the importance of foundational skills, adding, “Crosses are fine, right or left or which part of your feet, it doesn’t matter.If it is indeed effective, it is fine, but I like the simplicity as I learned from Messi that I never make a mistake with the simple things.”
“The simple things he does perfectly, then he dribbles past four or five players.I want players to do the simple things well and after that you have special talent and he can do whatever he wants. But if he doesn’t work now, it will be a problem. He will be in trouble.”
The assist nonetheless earned widespread praise, with Houghton declaring on BBC’s Final Score: “That assist! Assist of the season.”
