Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola delivered a glowing yet measured assessment of Rayan Cherki's starring role in a commanding 3-0 Premier League victory over Sunderland on Saturday, even drawing a comparison with the legendary Lionel Messi.
Cherki's Magic Moment Seals Victory
The French winger, 22, produced a moment of pure skill to cap a fine individual display at the Etihad Stadium. With the game already under City's control, Cherki delivered an outrageous rabona cross that found Phil Foden perfectly, allowing the England star to head home the third goal and kill off any lingering hope of a Sunderland comeback.
Guardiola was full of praise for the young Frenchman's overall contribution. "Rayan is an exceptional player," the City boss stated. "He is so young, he has a huge personality. He is not scared and has self-confidence." However, Guardiola was keen to emphasise that his admiration extended beyond flashy skills.
Guardiola's Messi Comparison
In a remarkable compliment, Guardiola suggested Cherki's audacious assist was something even the great Messi had not produced. "I never saw Messi play a cross like he has done," Guardiola said. "Messi is the best player to play the game but I never saw these kind of crosses."
He quickly clarified, however, that his ultimate benchmark for players is mastering the basics. "I like simplicity. Messi never made a mistake with the simple things. The simple things he does perfectly, then he dribbles past four or five players," Guardiola explained. His message to Cherki was clear: focus on the team's needs first. "Here, he has to do what he has to do for the team. When he is able to do it, he will play a lot of minutes for many years at this club."
City Close the Gap on Arsenal
The victory, secured with first-half goals from centre-backs Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol before the Cherki-Foden combination, was a significant one in the title race. It moved Manchester City to within two points of leaders Arsenal, applying serious pressure at the top.
Guardiola, though, refused to be drawn on the title implications. "Yes it is better to be closer than further to the top of the league but, from my experience, it is about the consistency," he cautioned. He hailed the performance as "one of the best of the year during 95 minutes."
For Sunderland, who started the day in fifth place, it was a frustrating afternoon that worsened when Luke O'Nien was sent off in stoppage time. Manager Regis Le Bris admitted his side lacked the intensity shown in a recent game at Liverpool, stating they "weren't enough to be competitive" against the reigning champions.
