Guardiola: Cherki is ready to share the responsibility of playing as a false number 9 for City.

Ahead of the match against Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola confirmed he is considering using Rayan Cherki as a false number 9 to share the goalscoring burden with Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker has scored 11 of Manchester City's 17 Premier League goals this season, highlighting the high level of dependence on him.

Guardiola accelerates the implementation of the false number 9 strategy.

Guardiola frankly admitted that City need to diversify their goal sources: “The attacking players need to improve their goal tally, they understand that and we’ve talked about it. Omar Marmoush has the ability to score, Rayan Cherki has this talent, Phil can do it too. In big teams, the defining factor of an attacking player is the number of goals and assists.”

The Spanish manager also opened the door to tactical flexibility: “I could use a formation with a false number 9, for example Rayan Cherki. I think Rayan would be a perfect fit. When we have a full squad, we can operate in many different formations.”

Key to his form: Cherki shines in Haaland's absence.

A few days ago, in the 3-1 victory against Swansea in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, when Haaland was absent, Cherki scored one goal and provided one assist. This performance helped the new signing impress the coaching staff, especially as City prepares for a packed schedule of matches across four competitions.

Why is Cherki a good fit for City's false number 9 role?

Once a "gem" at Lyon, the 2003-born player stands out with his skillful technique, creative thinking, and ability to handle the ball in tight spaces. According to Guardiola, Cherki quickly adapted to the club's ball-possession philosophy and can bring flexibility and an element of surprise to the attack. These are core qualities to fill the role of a false number 9 when City needs to rotate or change their system.

Reduce the workload for Haaland during the harsh winter period.

Haaland has had to shoulder a heavy workload over the past 12 months, including the Club World Cup and international matches with the Norwegian national team. Actively using Cherki as a "plan B" helps City maintain their creative attacking rhythm while reducing the risk of over-reliance on the Norwegian goalscorer during this busy schedule.

Before the Bournemouth match: a clear message from the coaching bench.

Guardiola has sent a message that more goal contributions are needed from the remaining forwards, thereby creating a foundation for tactical changes when necessary. Haaland is likely to return to the starting lineup, but the door has been opened for Cherki in the false number 9 role, promising a more flexible attacking structure.

Selective statistics

Impact

Activating the "false nine" option with Cherki gives City more tactical variation and a new source of goals. It also aligns with Guardiola's long-term vision: distributing the goal-scoring burden more widely across the team, rather than relying on a single individual.