Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has often voiced his dissatisfaction with Rayan Cherki's performances, but after yesterday's 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest, he admitted he felt like "kissing him," in his own words. Following a prolonged period of inconsistency, the French midfielder has recently showcased flashes of brilliance, scoring the winning goal in the 83rd minute during the visit to the City Ground. Beyond his goal, Cherki also set up the opener for Tijjani Reijnders, though Omari Hutchinson later equalized for Forest.
"There are moments when I shout at him, and there are moments when I want to kiss him, so I have this mixed feeling about him. I want to allow him to express his incredible talent. We need to improve our build-up play from the back so he can receive more balls in that position, but despite everyone's clear efforts, it doesn't always click. The second half was a bit better this time," Guardiola commented regarding yesterday's win.
This victory held particular significance for the team, being their sixth consecutive win – a ominous warning to their Premier League rivals that they are hitting top form. City found a way to win a match that Guardiola confessed his team would have lost last season if both teams were in similar shape. "I know that with so many games passing, memories fade. But across our six Premier League titles, we've had many such encounters. Moreover, this success is valuable due to the quality of the opponent. Sean Dyche has built a truly top-tier team. After such moments, it's far more important to realize when and where you struggled in the game. Why didn't you play well? Otherwise, you have no chance to improve. Last year, we would have lost this match 10 times out of 10 attempts," Guardiola asserted confidently.