Pep Heaps Praise on ‘Exceptional’ Cherki After Brentford Win
Pep Guardiola was full of admiration for Rayan Cherki after the French attacker played a decisive role in Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
The 22-year-old opened the scoring in the first half with a stunning strike that set City on course for a comfortable win, continuing his strong recent form after a challenging start to life at the Etihad Stadium.
Cherki arrived from Lyon in a £30 million summer move but saw his early momentum disrupted by injury. However, he has grown in influence in recent weeks, registering four assists in his last four Premier League matches before adding his fourth goal of the season against Brentford.
The goal came after Brentford failed to deal with Divine Mukasa’s corner, allowing the ball to fall to Cherki on the edge of the box. With quick footwork, he shifted past Mikkel Damsgaard and fired a powerful shot into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
Speaking after the match, Guardiola was quick to highlight Cherki’s quality in decisive areas of the pitch, stressing how dangerous he becomes around the penalty area.
“Close to the 18-yard box of the opponent he is an exceptional player,” Guardiola said.
The City boss went on to underline how obvious Cherki’s talent is, comparing the nature of the goal to similar strikes previously scored by Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne.
“It was a fantastic goal. You don’t need to be a journalist or a manager to realise he is a fantastic player. I have seen this type of goal many times with Phil and Kevin before, so I am happy it opened the game,” Guardiola added.
Beyond the goal itself, Cherki’s performance reflected his growing confidence and understanding within Guardiola’s system, offering creativity, composure and threat in advanced areas.
As City progress deeper into domestic competitions, Cherki’s return to fitness and form could prove crucial, especially as Guardiola continues to rotate and develop his squad across multiple fronts.
Conclusion
Guardiola’s glowing assessment of Rayan Cherki underlines the club’s belief in the young attacker’s ability to make a lasting impact. With confidence building and performances improving, Cherki looks increasingly ready to play a key role for Manchester City as the season reaches its most demanding stages.
