PHIL FODEN and Rayan Cherki can now be officially billed as the great entertainers of Pep Guardiola’s new cast of stars.
Sure, Erling Haaland still tops the bill and helped himself to a double – that’s a staggering 38 goals in a mere 28 games – so of course he deserves the warmest of applause.
Erling Haaland’s two goals helped Manchester City see off an abject West Ham sideCredit: AP
The win means City leapfrog Arsenal and put the pressure on them to win in the late kick-offCredit: Getty
But Foden and City are also making themselves the brilliant conjuring act that now has Manchester City packing in believers again.
There were some doubts as the season got underway over the Manchester City manager’s £320M squad overhaul that began in January.
By September after a 2 – 0 home defeat to Tottenham the faithful were truly fretting and for a while Guardiola’s side could barely see Arsenal as they accelerated away at the top.
There were fears, too, that Foden would never regain his mojo after a near – invisible campaign in which the side that had won four titles struggled to find an identity.
Others weren’t sure that Cherki, bought from Lyon for £34M in the summer, would survive in an environment far more physically intense than Ligue 1.
Yet this was their eight home win in a row since the loss to Spurs that looked like maybe even Pep had lost the plot.
Within it Foden has re-emerged from the shadows, loving life playing through the middle now that Kevin de Bruyne has gone.
All the touches, all the vision, all panache that made him triple player of the year in the 2023-24 campaign may now arguably be even better.
Meanwhile Frenchman Cherki produces the flourishes of a cavalier, a huge fan favourite now, a creator from nothing, a scene – stealer if ever there was one.
The 38th minute strike from Tijjanni Reinders that sealed the deal for City illustrated a perfect case in point.
Mateus Fernandes thought he had control of the ball as he began to make his way from the edge of the West Ham box only for Cherki to come from nowhere to steal it.
A blur of his feet later it was off to Erling Haaland and his touch sideways was smashed high into the net.
How the Blue Moon brigade loved that moment, one of sheer XXXX and how they have grown to love him.
They are falling back in love with Foden, now, for he is stacking up the kind of numbers that will tell Guardiola that he could be on for his SEVENTH Prem title.
Last season as he disappeared Foden managed only 15 goal involvements.
Yet he already has 13 strikes and now six assists, the latest of those in the fifth minute as he demonstrated brilliant awareness.
He ghosted the wrong side of that same Fernandes on the left flank before composing himself and delivering the perfect lay – off to Haaland.
The Viking marauder needed two attempts to put the opportunity away – first smashing against Alphonse Areola but then burying the rebound on what became a turkey shoot.
From then on it was really only about how many City would get for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team just couldn’t run for cover.
Haaland might have added another with a header he should have put away, Ruben Dias did likewise.
Areola produced a stunning save to deny Reijnders before the Dutchman did, indeed get on the scoresheet.
On the touchline, no doubt certain already that his side were going to be in the bottom three at Christmas, Nuno shook his head in what looked like resignation.
They have now not won in six games and barely laid a glove on their opponents in the first half – just two touches in the City box by the break.
Training games come harder for Guardiola’s players than this and the Hammers boss faces a deserate fight to turn things around.
This was his twelve game in charge but he has only two wins and four draws to his credit since replacing Graham Potter around the time his opposite number was still trying to direct his new-look team towards better performances.
Haaland claimed his second in the 69th minute thanks to a drive through the panicking ranks of the Hammers rear guard.
The scoreline was almost an act of mercy by City. But it was yet another statement of intent from them, too.
These days everybody is getting their lines right for Guardiola.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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