Pep Guardiola admits wanting to shout at and ‘kiss’ one Manchester City player | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted his contrasting feelings around Rayan Cherki since the Frenchman joined his ranks in the summer.

Cherki has been a revelation at the Etihad Stadium since his £34 million transfer from Lyon in June, spearheading Manchester City’s resurgence in recent months as part of a formidable attack comprising Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Tijjani Reijnders and Jeremy Doku.

The 22-year-old burst onto the scene for Lyon in a breakthrough 2024-25 season and attracted strong interest from Europe’s elite heading into the summer transfer window, when Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana announced his arrival to the club by making sweeping changes to Guardiola’s ranks.

After a sluggish start to the season, Manchester City have turned a corner and clawed their way back into the conversation for what would be a fifth Premier League title in six seasons as they come up against a relentless Arsenal side vying for their first league crown in 22 years under Mikel Arteta.

Since his return from an injury in October, Cherki has been at the heart of Manchester City’s change in fortunes, taking the baton from club legend Kevin De Bruyne and assuming the role of architect-in-chief in a Guardiola side at a nascent stage of their transition under Viana.

The France international made the difference once again for City by netting a monumental 82nd minute winner against Nottingham Forest to ensure his side left the City Ground with all three points – after Omari Hutchinson cancelled Reijnders’ second-half opener, created by Cherki.

Speaking to reporters after Saturday’s hard-fought triumph, Guardiola said: “Always when we sign a player we expect the best, it’s true, but in reality he (Cherki) made an incredible assist and winning goal.

“I always had that feeling from day one, some moments I shout at him, the others I want to kiss him. I have that ambivalent feeling with him, but I have to allow him to express his incredible talent. We have to play better from the back so he can get more balls in those positions.

“(In the) first-half (against Forest), we had too many players behind the ball and less in advanced positions in the pockets. The second half was a little bit better, even though it was a tight game.

“They (Forest) brought this type of game, you press really good, but they play a long ball and Igor (Jesus) wins the ball, always they come the wingers and (Morgan) Gibbs-White for the second ball. You need strength because they do it really well. Sean (Dyche) again has created a really good team in that.”

The jury remains out on whether the Blues can sustain their recent impressive run of form as the season progresses and stake a claim for silverware – having won all of their last eight games in all competitions – as they enter the New Year two points adrift of Arsenal in second place in the Premier League table.

However, Manchester City are taking it game by game and should they manage to keep the likes of Cherki fit till the business stage of the season – and recruit smartly in the January window – Guardiola’s new-look side can defy doubters and do something special at the end of a crossroads season.