Rayan Cherki played 90 minutes and scored in the shoot-out as Manchester City beat Brighton in the Carabao Cup fourth round
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Rayan Cherki started as he meant to go on. In a Manchester City team shorn of three of the four captains, it was Cherki who had words for his team-mates in the pre-match huddle ahead of the Carabao Cup fourth round win over Brighton.
Marc Guehi was the captain and Cherki led by example on the pitch. The opening 15 minutes saw the Frenchman fleet of foot as he bamboozled Brighton defenders with a couple of early forays forward.
He had the first shot in anger of the night and the match was barely a quarter old when he tried to rouse the home fans to back their side.
The contest, in front of a sparse Etihad, was not a classic and it seemed as though City’s grip on the cup might slip when Brighton twice went in front. But, after Mateo Kovacic had cancelled out Malick Yalcouye’s opener, Georgino Rutter put the visitors back ahead inside 90 seconds of the second half.
City needed a spark and it was Cherki who got the Blues back on level terms. The second equaliser might have flicked in off Vitor Reis but it was Cherki’s driven free kick that did the damage. The Blues were reinvigorated and Cherki was animated as City tried to get the job done in normal time.
There was more than one occasion where Cherki had a word or two for a team-mate and, having been replaced at half time in four of City's matches so far this season, proved that he is a player who can be relied upon. Enzo Maresca knows the qualities his number 10 possesses and will have been impressed by how the 23-year-old stepped up to be one of the on-pitch leaders during the contest with Brighton.
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In the end it took penalties to see off the Seagulls, with Cherki converting the fifth spot kick for the home side after both teams missed with their fourth penalties. After tucking his effort away, Cherki stared down opposing goalkeeper Jason Steele and had a word of encouragement for his own stopper Geronimo Rulli.
The Argentine then kept out Lewis Dunk’s effort to send City through and Cherki led the celebrations on the halfway line. In the sprint to join Rulli, Cherki was front and centre. Just as he was during the game.