"I used to pray for times like this", "Thank you Pep" - Fans react as Manchester City star included in XI to face Bournemouth

Manchester City fans are delighted with manager Pep Guardiola’s decision to name Rayan Cherki as a starter for their Premier League clash with Bournemouth. The two sides are set to face off at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, November 2.

Guardiola made eight changes to his Manchester City side that defeated Swansea City 3-1 in their last outing, with only Cherki, Nico Gonzalez and Jeremy Doku retaining their spots for the clash against the Cherries. Cherki’s inclusion will mark his second Premier League start for City this season, with his debut start coming against Tottenham Hotspur in August.

He was a substitute in City’s previous two Premier League matches and sat out all the club’s matches in September due to a thigh injury. The lineup for City’s game with Bournemouth has been released, and Cherki was deployed as a wide winger in Guardiola’s 4-2-3-1 setup.

Several Manchester City supporters were happy to see the French midfielder named as a starter, with one writing:

“CHERKI START AGAIN, I USED TO PRAY FOR TIMES LIKE THIS 😭😭😭😭😭.”

Cherkira Cherkira

@EchemessiEra

@ManCity @etihad CHERKI START AGAIN, I USED TO PRAY FOR TIMES LIKE THIS 😭😭😭😭😭

Another tweeted:

“Cherki starts. Thank you Pep.”

thvbz_m

@kool_thabz

@ManCity @etihad Cherki starts. Thank you Pep.

“Cherki start let’s goooo,” a fan chimed in.

Dior❤🦅💰

@badboy_dior

@ManCity @etihad Cherki start let’s goooo

“Cherki First Eleven!!! Let's go,” another raved.

RevivalRod

@rodneyjmunin

Cherki First Eleven!!! Let's go

“Cherki starts ayooooooo. Come on Cityyyyy,” another added.

ソレンセン

@sovietskyysbh

Cherki starts ayooooooo Come on Cityyyyy

Pep Guardiola says Rayan Cherki and one other Manchester City star are ‘a real option’ ahead of PL clash with Bournemouth

Pep Guardiola believes playing Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden together will help strengthen Manchester City’s attack. The duo enjoys playing in an advanced role with freedom to roam and create. However, injuries have curtailed the opportunity for them to play together.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference of their match against Bournemouth, Guardiola was asked if Cherki and Foden could play together, to which he said:

“Of course, it’s a real option during the season to play them together (Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden), like Omar and Erling. As much as it’s good to have an alternative, you have to realise what you need to play in the Premier League. Some opponents and their physicality, especially the first half against Villa, we saw it perfectly.

“We weren’t solid enough to sustain it, they will learn, the effort from Phil and Rayan. I’m not going to ask the players to not play a [certain] way, but there’s a minimum to sustain the team otherwise you create problems. When we have a lot of players who need to be creative, I think I said after Villa, this is the challenge we have to find ourselves. We will find it.”

Interestingly, Guardiola has test-run the idea, including both players in his starting lineup for their match against Bournemouth.