Pep Guardiola hailed the "exceptional" talent of Rayan Cherki after the young Frenchman's superb goal set Manchester City on course for a 2-0 victory over Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday night.
Cherki's Moment of Magic
In a match where City made seven changes from their weekend Premier League win, it was the £30million summer signing from Lyon who provided the crucial breakthrough. After Brentford failed to clear a corner in the first half, the ball fell to Cherki on the edge of the penalty area. The 22-year-old deftly sidestepped Mikkel Damsgaard before unleashing a powerful drive that flew into the top corner for his fourth goal of the campaign.
Guardiola was effusive in his praise for the midfielder, whose start at the Etihad has been hampered by injury. "Close to the 18-yard box of the opponent he is an exceptional player," said the City boss. "It was a fantastic goal. I am happy that it opened the game." The manager compared the strike to those typically scored by Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne.
Controversy and a Sealed Victory
The match was not without its contentious moment. In the 16th minute, City defender Abdukodir Khusanov fouled Brentford's Kevin Schade as he prepared to shoot from the edge of the box. Bees manager Keith Andrews was adamant it should have been a red card, a decision he believed would have reshaped the entire tie. "I'm very quick to defend officials... but that was one they didn't get right," Andrews stated post-match.
City survived that scare and dominated the remainder of the first half. The victory was secured in the second period through Savinho, whose shot took a heavy deflection off Kristoffer Ajer and looped over goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson. Guardiola also commended the Brazilian winger's resilient mentality following recent criticism, highlighting his relentless work ethic.
Post-Match Reaction and Looking Ahead
Despite the disappointment of the refereeing decision, Andrews praised his team's courage and adaptability, especially given a short preparation time and missing attacking players. Brentford, who stayed in Manchester after the game, were due to train at City's facility on Thursday.
When asked if he agreed with Andrews' view on the Khusanov incident, Guardiola offered a diplomatic response: "Tomorrow at the training ground, I'll invite him to the cafe and we will discuss it." The win sees Manchester City progress to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, with Cherki's burgeoning form providing a significant boost for the second half of the season.
