"There's no player in the Premier League quite as good as Rayan Cherki", said a commentator as the Manchester City ace scored a fabulous goal against Crystal Palace.
Picked out by Phil Foden on the edge of the box, the Frenchman darts forward with the ball amid a host of white shirts around him before arrowing a powerful low-drive into the bottom corner for 2-0.
A goal straight out of the top drawer, and a run that would even make Lionel Messi proud.
But Cherki wasn't finished there. Buoyed by his scintillating first strike, the forward came back to haunt the Eagles five minutes later.
Josko Gvardiol laid off a pass for Cherki, who cheekily controls it to evade his marker, and then prances forward like a Gazelle in a Savannah to get into a good position.
With no Palace player blocking his view, he had all the space to strut his stuff and then unleashed a fearsome shot into the far post which Dean Henderson got a hand to, but couldn't stop.
After having come off the bench to set up both their goals of a 2-1 win over Bournemouth on the opening day, Enzo Maresca rewarded Cherki for his heroics with a start on Saturday.
With two goals on the night, it's suffice to say he repaid the faith handsomely. But more importantly, Cherki underlined his value in the squad once more.
Much has been made of Rodri's transfer to FC Barcelona and how City could struggle without having a tempo-setter like him.
Just two games into the new Premier League season, and the Spaniard already appears to have been forgotten with Cherki taking over the mantle of their talisman.
I get it: the two players play very different roles and Cherki may never quite replicate Rodri's control from midfield. But he's bringing a different kind of influence in the side.
With his breathtaking attacking flair, unbelievable close control and ability to produce decisive moments, he's already making a mark in the post-Rodri era.
In fact, Cherki is quickly becoming the driving force of a City side that's adapting to life without their Spanish phenom.
Last season, the £34 million-signing from Lyon started in only 20 of his 33 appearances in the Premier League, suggesting he hadn't really nailed down a starting berth despite bagging 12 assists.
His early-season exploits under Enzo Maresca though, suggest Cherki may finally be turning his potential into a permanent starting role. And City would be so much better for it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google