The image lingered more strongly than the result. Amid Manchester City's resounding victory, Ryan Cherki's puzzling behavior became the center of controversy.
Manchester City defeated Liverpool 4-0 in the 2025-2026 FA Cup quarterfinal at Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on the 4th (Korea time). At the center was Erling Haaland. He dominated the direction of the match, scoring a hat trick.
From the early stages, Manchester City controlled the game. They pressed Liverpool with superior possession and forward tempo. Liverpool tried to counter with Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike, but the execution in the buildup lacked completion. With the spacing in midfield breaking down, attacking connections were cut.
The balance was broken late in the first half. In the 39th minute of the first half, Haaland calmly finished a penalty to open the scoring. Manchester City, carrying the momentum, immediately widened the gap. In first-half stoppage time, Haaland completed his second goal with a header from a cross by Joao Cancelo. Liverpool's defensive line conceded consecutive goals due to a momentary lapse in concentration.
The second half was essentially a confirmation of the outcome. In the fifth minute of the second half, Joao Cancelo added a goal to take full control of the flow. Receiving Cherki's pass, he struck accurately with his left foot from the left side of the penalty area to beat the goalkeeper. Then in the 12th minute of the second half, Haaland opened the scoring again. He calmly finished from O'Riley's pass to complete his hat trick.
Liverpool also had opportunities. In the 19th minute of the second half they earned a penalty. Mohamed Salah, who stepped up as the kicker, sought a consolation goal but was stopped by Trafford's save and could not change the momentum. That moment became a symbolic scene of the match. Liverpool failed to take decisive chances, while Manchester City converted every chance into a result.
Overall, the difference in tactical completeness was clear. Manchester City controlled the midfield around Rodri, using the flanks and center organically to unsettle Liverpool's defense. By contrast, Liverpool repeatedly showed cracks in their pressing timing and defensive spacing. The Van Dijk-Konaté line's response was also late.
In the end, the match was decided by efficiency. Manchester City finished even limited chances decisively, and Liverpool repeatedly missed moments to turn the flow. The 4-0 result signifies more than a simple blowout. The performance itself was one-sided.
Off the pitch, a scene also drew attention. It was because of Ryan Cherki's behavior on the bench after being substituted. Cherki was caught on the broadcast sitting wearing the jersey of his France national team teammate and Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike. The scene attracted more attention as it occurred while the team was maintaining a one-sided flow against Liverpool.
He was immediately restrained from inside. A Manchester City official approached and asked him to take off the jersey, and Cherki belatedly complied. But the scene had already been exposed live through the broadcast. The commentators also reacted immediately. Darren Fletcher, who was on commentary, called it "a potentially problematic scene," and Ally McCoist added that it was "a moment of being called out on the bench."
There was plenty of room for controversy. Wearing an opponent's jersey during a match itself is unusual on the professional stage. The fact that the scene occurred in an important match like an FA Cup quarterfinal made it an even bigger topic. However, some viewed the incident as closer to a harmless episode separate from Cherki's performance.
In fact, Cherki showed sharp movement and technique in attacking build-up during the match, contributing to the team's attack. As a result, Manchester City recorded a 4-0 victory and the match ended in a one-sided flow. Still, despite the overwhelming win, the incident on the bench left another point of contention.
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