Pep Guardiola could have a devastating duo to unleash for Manchester City | OneFootball

After signing Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders this summer, Manchester City looks to have the pieces and players to form a devastating attack. With players such as Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush, Jeremy Doku, Savinho, Tijjani Reijnders and Oscar Bobb in the City squad, plus Foden and Cherki, Pep Guardiola will have no shortage of quality options in the final third to deploy.

The combination play in that group of players has the potential to be devastating. But there is a particular duo that could become a nightmare for Manchester City’s opponents. That is the potential combination of Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden. Together, the pair could become a key component of Manchester City’s attacking play.

Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden have the playing styles that do seem to mesh together.

Both Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden are players who are blessed with exceptional technical ability. In the final third, the pair are devastating. Rayan Cherki is one of the best creative players in Europe. His ability to pick out a pass and beat a man with his exceptional dribbling ability is almost unparalleled. Phil Foden at his best is unplayable. The England international is one of the best goal-scoring midfielders in the Premier League. Foden is also an elite dribbler of the ball, and can pick out a pass. The playing styles of Cherki and Foden do appear to mesh well. But when you contemplate the pair playing together, that’s where their potential combination becomes a tantalising proposition.

If and when Pep Guardiola starts Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden together will be fascinating to watch unfold.

At some point, Pep Guardiola will pick Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden in the same starting eleven. The safe bet would be that Cherki would start as a number ten, and Foden out on the right wing. Perhaps the pair will play as dual number tens. Their link-up play could be a nightmare for Manchester City’s opponents. Especially when Foden drifts centrally from out wide. If any player could spot those runs of Foden, it’s Rayan Cherki.

The thought of the pair interchanging positions, combined with their exceptional ability in possession, is a salivating thought. That would be a nightmare for City’s opponents to contain over 90 minutes. The ability of Cherki and Foden to drift all over the pitch could give Pep Guardiola an option to unlock the low blocks that have so often frustrated his team. It could also help Manchester City get at their opponents when they face teams who don’t sit back against them.

Cherki and Foden’s games do appear to complement each other. There does seem there will be a fluidity to their play if and when they play together. They, of course, need time to develop an understanding on the pitch, but given their tremendous quality as players that could come quickly. The hope is that it does as it would give Manchester City a devastating combination in the final third.

When you add the creativity of Cherki, to the goal-scoring of Foden, with all of Manchester City’s other attacking options, Pep Guardiola could have an attack at his disposal that is the envy of the rest of the Premier League and Europe. Foden and Cherki figure to be a prominent component of that equation. If and when they gel together will give Pep Guardiola a devastating weapon to unleash. Perhaps it could be unleashed during the FIFA Club World Cup to give Foden and Cherki time to get to know each other on the pitch.