Guardiola Lavishes Praise on Rayan Cherki Following Man City's Carabao Cup Win

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has lauded Rayan Cherki as an "exceptional player" after the Frenchman's outstanding performance in their 2-0 victory over Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. The win, which propelled City into the semi-finals, was largely inspired by Cherki's stunning first-half goal.

Cherki, who joined City from Lyon in the summer for a reported £30 million, has quickly become a fan favorite with his impressive skills and technique. Despite an injury-impacted start to his City career, the 22-year-old has been in impressive form in recent weeks, contributing four assists in his last four Premier League appearances, in addition to his recent goal.

The decisive moment arrived in the 32nd minute when a corner was not properly cleared by Brentford. The ball fell to Cherki on the edge of the box, who masterfully side-stepped Mikkel Damsgaard before unleashing a powerful, curling shot into the top corner of the net. The strike left Brentford goalkeeper Hákon Valdimarsson with no chance.

"Close to the 18-yard box of the opponent he is an exceptional player," Guardiola said. "It was a fantastic goal, a blind guy, a blind woman can realise, it is not necessary to be a journalist or a manager to realise he is a fantastic, fantastic player".

Guardiola has previously highlighted Cherki's natural talent, even ranking him among the most gifted players he has coached, a list that includes Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Kevin De Bruyne, and Erling Haaland. However, Guardiola has also urged caution, emphasizing the importance of simplicity and tactical discipline in Cherki's game. Following a recent win over Sunderland where Cherki made a 'rabona' cross, Guardiola stated that he likes simplicity "because I learned from Messi that I never make a mistake with the simple things".

Cherki celebrated his goal against Brentford by mimicking teammate Erling Haaland's signature celebration, further endearing himself to the City fans. Haaland, who was an unused substitute in the game, was seen shaking hands with Cherki after the midfielder was substituted. Savinho scored City's second goal in the 67th minute, securing their place in the Carabao Cup semi-finals. The Brazilian's shot was deflected off Kristoffer Ajer, looping over Valdimarsson.

Despite the victory, Guardiola stressed the need for continued improvement and hard work from his squad. He acknowledged the team's busy schedule and the importance of maintaining freshness, as evidenced by the seven changes he made to the starting lineup from their previous game. Guardiola also noted that Cherki was taken off after an hour because he was too tired to do the defensive work that Guardiola demanded.