Manchester City forward Rayan Cherki found himself in an embarrassing situation during his team's emphatic 4-0 FA Cup victory over Liverpool, when he was spotted wearing the shirt of Liverpool player Hugo Ekitike while sitting on the substitutes' bench. The 22-year-old French international, who joined City from Lyon last summer, was substituted in the 71st minute, making way for Tijjani Reijnders.
An Awkward Moment on the Bench
After leaving the pitch, Cherki exchanged shirts with Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike, who had been substituted just three minutes earlier. The pair, who are teammates for the French national side, had shared a warm greeting before the match at the Etihad Stadium. However, Cherki's decision to put on the Liverpool shirt while taking his place on the City bench quickly drew attention.
Swift Apology Following Intervention
Cherki was apparently alerted to his mistake by a member of Manchester City's coaching staff. In response, he promptly removed the Liverpool shirt and raised his arm in a gesture of apology. The incident, captured on camera, showed Cherki initially starting to put on Ekitike's shirt before realising his error and taking it off.
Social Media Reaction and Criticism
The bizarre episode sparked considerable discussion on social media platforms, with Manchester City outlet CityXtra posting a picture of the incident on X alongside the message: 'What are you doing?' accompanied by a laughing emoji. Hugo Ekitike also faced criticism for agreeing to swap shirts before the final whistle, with one user commenting: 'Hugo Ekitike swapping shirts with Rayan Cherki when it’s 4-0 tells you everything you need to know about this squad at the moment. Heads in the clouds.'
Cherki's Previous Controversial Behaviour
This is not the first time Rayan Cherki has been at the centre of controversy. Before the international break, he refused to apologise for showboating during the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal, which Manchester City won 2-0. After the Wembley clash, Cherki stated: 'To the Arsenal fans? I'm not sorry. People think it was disrespect… no, it was intentional. I grew up watching Nani in the FA Cup doing the same thing to Arsenal - pure confidence, pure freedom.'
He added: 'So when I had the moment, I did it for a reason. Not just to entertain… but to remind them. Some clubs, when you feel they’re vulnerable, you don’t just beat them… you play with them.' This history of confident, some might say provocative, behaviour adds context to the recent shirt-swapping incident, highlighting Cherki's unapologetic approach on the field, though he was quick to make amends in this particular case.
