Manchester City's response to missing out on Florian Wirtz has turned a potential transfer setback into a £143m triumph, with Rayan Cherki and Elliot Anderson both proving more effective than the Liverpool midfielder.
Around 18 months ago, some Manchester City fans feared the end of the club's dominant era when their top target chose Premier League champions Liverpool instead. The prospect of Wirtz conducting Arne Slot's team for the next decade seemed a major threat, though it now appears less significant against the weight of over 100 proven Premier League rule breaches.
Cherki delivers after Viana's pivot
Sporting director Hugo Viana pivoted and, as shown in the Amazon documentary, identified Rayan Cherki as a potential steal. The Frenchman arrived from Lyon for just £26m and has 22 goals and assists from 39 Premier League appearances, compared to Wirtz's nine in the same timeframe.
Cherki was not the best in the final third for most of the game at Anfield, but he creates so many opportunities that he always feels capable of scoring or producing in every match. He duly popped up with a delightful finish and has made an excellent start to his second season at the club.
Anderson outshines Wirtz at Anfield
Outshining him at Anfield was Elliot Anderson, who won eight fouls in the game – five more than any other player and the most any player on record has ever won at Anfield. After a wobbly start for City, Anderson was essential in settling the visitors down and giving them control of the game.
If Wirtz can be compared to Cherki positionally, Anderson cost the same as the Liverpool man did 12 months ago. Watching the two run for a 50-50, with Anderson winning the ball with such crunching force that Wirtz was left flattened on the pitch, was an easy marker for how the same amount of money can get a club two very different players.
It is still remarkable that Anderson's name was used as a sign of how silly the transfer window has become, when he was exactly the same price as Wirtz and is already more effective – as he was last season at Forest. Having been man-of-the-match for City's 10 men at Old Trafford, Anderson again stood tall for his new team to help them win a big game.
All of that may be in vain if the appeal is dismissed and City receive an enormous sanction. For now, though, the Blues are in a better place than they could have been for the decisions they made in the transfer market after missing out on Wirtz.
