Rayan Cherki came off the bench to inspire Manchester City’s dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Bournemouth, giving manager Enzo Maresca a timely reminder of the French playmaker’s quality.
Cherki was frustrated after being left out of City’s starting XI, but his introduction in the 62nd minute changed the game. He delivered the corner that Marc Guehi headed in for the equaliser before producing a clever pass for Josko Gvardiol to score the stoppage-time winner.
Maresca praised Cherki’s impact as “unbelievable” but explained that the decision to leave him out was based on his limited fitness following the World Cup.
Despite starting on the bench, Cherki made a strong statement with his performance and showed why he could play a key role for City this season.
Maresca also backed Guehi after deploying the defender in an unfamiliar midfield role, saying the performance showed he could provide another option for the team in the future.
