**West Ham beware of new City Genius.**
The eyes of the football neutral will be on one player in particular when [Manchester City entertain West Ham](https://www.claretandhugh.info/manchester-city-v-west-ham-preview-team-news-predicted-line-ups/) tomorrow: Rayan Cherki.
If the name sounds familiar, it should. The Hammers were linked with the Frenchman on three separate occasions before his eventual summer move to the Etihad Stadium.
Cherki is prodigiously gifted — the type of flair player who has largely disappeared from the modern game as it has become increasingly tactical and system-driven. In Manchester City terms, he’s a Georgi Kinkladze-type figure. For West Ham supporters, the closest comparisons might be Dimitri Payet or Alan Devonshire.
Pep’s New Creative Spark
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Pep Guardiola has clearly missed the creativity of Kevin De Bruyne, but that void has been filled — at least in part — by Cherki’s trickery and the renewed output of a revitalised Phil Foden.
Guardiola, however, is managing expectations carefully. He publicly chastised Cherki last week after an audacious rabona, keen to ensure the youngster doesn’t drift into indulgence – a telling off which reminded me of Joe Cole and Jose Mourinho.
Yet ahead of West Ham’s visit, Pep was equally quick to stress that he hasn’t clipped the trickster’s wings:
“He is a guy who was playing as he played in the street, but I want to push him.
I won’t give too many compliments.
He is so young and has the mentality to be better and better, but a few things need to improve.”
Stopping Erling Haaland is the obvious task — but the danger for West Ham will come from everywhere. And don’t be surprised if, at some point during the game, Cherki produces something outrageous.
Against a West Ham defence that has creaked under far less pressure this season, Manchester City’s newest showman represents a very serious test indeed.