Rayan Cherki ruled out of Brighton clash with fresh Manchester City injury blow | OneFootball

Manchester City have sustained a fresh injury blow on the eve of their clash against Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, French media have revealed.

The setback comes at an inconvenient time for Pep Guardiola’s side, who are still trying to find rhythm in the early stages of the 2025/26 campaign.

With new arrivals settling in and some longer-term fitness issues already testing the squad, the latest update surrounding Rayan Cherki’s fitness is an unwanted distraction as Manchester City prepare for another testing Premier League away trip.

Cherki’s arrival at the Etihad Stadium this summer was met with excitement by both the club and supporters, as the versatile playmaker is viewed as one of Europe’s brightest young attacking talents.

After his highly-anticipated move from Olympique Lyonnais, City fans were eager to see how quickly he could adapt to Pep Guardiola’s system, particularly given his technical profile and creative flair. His absence now comes at a moment when the squad has been crying out for fresh attacking inspiration following a mixed set of results.

Compounding the frustration for Pep Guardiola is the fact that injuries have already been a recurring theme in Manchester City’s season so far. Rayan Ait-Nouri only just received a positive update on his fitness after being forced off against Tottenham, while long-term injuries to players such as Mateo Kovacic have limited squad options in midfield.

Now, according to the information of L’Equipe’s Loic Tanzi, Rayan Cherki is ruled out of Manchester City’s clash against Brighton on Sunday afternoon with a thigh injury.

The problem could also put his availability for the France national team into doubt, after the attacking midfielder was selected for action in September earlier this week.

While the immediate focus will be on Sunday’s game at the Amex Stadium, Manchester City supporters will also be anxious about the broader implications of Rayan Cherki’s fitness setback.

If the injury keeps him sidelined for a longer period, Pep Guardiola may have to lean more heavily on the likes of Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb, and Omar Marmoush to provide creative sparks in the final third.

There will also be question marks about whether this injury could affect France’s September fixtures, given Cherki’s growing importance within his national team set-up after a bright debut performance with the side prior to his City switch earlier in the summer.

Any extended absence would be disappointing for the player himself, who was hoping to carry his early Manchester City momentum into international football. For the club, however, the focus is squarely on ensuring Cherki makes a full recovery before being reintroduced.

With a long season ahead and ambitions across multiple competitions, Pep Guardiola knows he will need his full array of attacking options firing to navigate the challenges that lie ahead, particularly following the impact of injuries last campaign on their ability to compete.