Manchester City supporters have made their feelings clear after João Pedro was named the Premier League Player of the Month for August ahead of Ryan Cherki.
The decision immediately sparked a strong reaction among City fans, with several supporters questioning how Cherki missed out after his impressive opening weeks in English football.
For some, the result was simply difficult to accept.
One supporter summed up the mood with a blunt message:
“ROBBED.”
The reaction shows just how highly Manchester City supporters already rate Cherki following his arrival and impressive start under new head coach Enzo Maresca.
João Pedro ultimately took the award after a productive August for Chelsea. But from the perspective of City fans, Cherki had done enough to deserve the recognition.
City fans cannot believe Cherki missed out
The reaction to the announcement was almost immediate.
“How”, asked FREEMAN🎲.
Another supporter simply wrote:
“Bruh.”
Those short responses were followed by plenty of laughing and shocked emojis from other City supporters.
The reason for the frustration is understandable.
Cherki was one of the eight players nominated for the August award after making a major impact for Manchester City.
His performances had already made him one of the most exciting attacking players in the Premier League during the opening weeks of the season.
For supporters who had watched his displays closely, seeing another player collect the award was therefore difficult to accept.
Cherki’s numbers made the debate interesting
The Player of the Month decision was not completely straightforward.
João Pedro finished August with two goals and two assists across three matches, while Cherki also produced an impressive statistical return.
The Manchester City midfielder recorded two goals and two assists during the month, according to reports surrounding the award shortlist.
That statistical similarity explains why the decision generated so much discussion.
Both players contributed directly to goals.
Both became important attacking figures for their respective teams.
And both had moments that caught the attention of Premier League supporters.
However, the award went to João Pedro.
For City fans, that was enough to trigger the “robbed” reaction.
“Deservedly!” – Chelsea fans will have their own argument
There were also supporters on the discussion who backed João Pedro.
Captain Reece wrote:
“Deservedly!”
That highlights the other side of the debate.
João Pedro’s case was strong.
He was involved in four goals during August and developed an effective attacking relationship with his Chelsea teammates. Reports on the award noted his two goals and two assists across three games.
So while Manchester City supporters may feel Cherki was overlooked, the Chelsea forward was not an undeserving winner.
The award was always likely to produce debate because several players made strong starts to the campaign.
“No way” – City fans react with disbelief
One of the clearest reactions came from ⚜️, who wrote:
“No way😭😭😭”
The disbelief was shared by others.
Nuulo also asked:
“What😭”
These reactions demonstrate just how strongly City supporters expected Cherki to win.
That expectation did not appear from nowhere.
Cherki’s early performances had created significant excitement around the player, particularly after his ability to produce decisive moments in the final third.
His technical quality, creativity and confidence have quickly made him a player City fans are excited to watch.
The Player of the Month nomination only increased that excitement.
Winning the award would have provided another major milestone.
Instead, João Pedro claimed the prize.
“Commentary account ROBBED”
Perhaps the most direct criticism came from ⁴⁷:
“Commentary account ROBBED.”
The wording suggests that the supporter believes the result failed to reflect what happened on the pitch.
That is an important part of the wider discussion.
Monthly awards are always subjective.
Statistics matter, but so do match-winning moments, overall influence, consistency and the strength of a player’s performances.
Cherki’s supporters clearly believe those factors should have worked in his favour.
The funniest reaction may have come from Enzo Fernandez
One particularly interesting response came from kcfc88, whose username is @joaopedrolover5.
The supporter wrote:
“But sure you guys signed enzo lol”
That comment adds another layer to the discussion.
Manchester City supporters have already spent plenty of time debating the club’s summer recruitment and the decision to bring in Enzo Fernández.
The joke suggests that Chelsea supporters can point towards João Pedro winning the award while City fans celebrate their own new signings.
It is classic football social media rivalry: one club gets the individual award, while supporters of the other club immediately find another argument to make.
“This is just the start”
Amid the frustration, AVID™ offered a more positive perspective:
“This is just the start calms.”
That could ultimately be the most important reaction for City supporters.
Cherki does not need to win the Player of the Month award in August to have an outstanding Manchester City career.
He has only recently started his journey with the club.
There will be many more Premier League months, Champions League matches and opportunities for individual recognition.
If Cherki continues performing at the level that impressed supporters during August, another award could eventually arrive.
City fans already believe Cherki can compete with the best
The strength of the reaction is also a sign of how quickly Cherki has built a connection with Manchester City supporters.
Only a short time ago, fans were discussing what the French attacker could bring to Maresca’s new-look team.
Now they are angry that he did not win one of the Premier League’s biggest monthly individual awards.
That change in expectations is significant.
It means supporters already expect Cherki to compete with some of the league’s biggest stars.
João Pedro, Bruno Fernandes, Cole Palmer and the other nominees are established names in Premier League football.
Cherki being discussed alongside them shows how quickly his reputation has grown.
The award could make Cherki even more motivated
There is another way to view the result.
Missing out could give Cherki additional motivation.
Players at the highest level often use individual disappointments as fuel.
For Maresca, that could be good news.
A motivated Cherki, determined to prove that he deserved the award, could become an even more dangerous player for Manchester City.
The midfielder already has the technical ability to influence matches.
If he can maintain consistency and continue producing goals and assists, the conversation around future awards will become increasingly difficult to ignore.
João Pedro wins, but Cherki has plenty of time
Ultimately, João Pedro deserves credit for winning the August award.
His two goals and two assists made him a strong candidate, and the voting process ultimately went in his favour.
But the reaction from Manchester City fans makes one thing clear.
They believe Ryan Cherki should have won.
Words such as “ROBBED,” “What,” “No way” and “What a fck shame” dominated the reaction, while others accepted João Pedro’s victory.
For Cherki, however, this should not be viewed as a setback.
The Premier League season has only just begun.
There are still months of football ahead, and Manchester City supporters will be hoping their new attacking star continues producing the performances that have already made them believe he can become one of the league’s biggest names.
João Pedro may have the August award.
But judging by the reaction from City’s supporters, Ryan Cherki has already won something equally important: their belief.
