'I never saw Messi do this!' – Guardiola urges 'special' Cherki to learn simplicity following rabona assist

Pep Guardiola hailed Rayan Cherki’s “special, unique quality” in Manchester City’s win over Sunderland, but urged the youngster to learn from the “perfect simplicity” of Lionel Messi.

Cherki starred in a routine 3-0 win at the Etihad Stadium, producing a sensational rabona assist for Phil Foden to head in City’s third of the night.

Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol had earlier found the net to put City in full control, with the win narrowing the gap to league leaders Arsenal to just two points.

Reflecting on Cherki’s display, Guardiola praised the Frenchman’s natural talent but suggested that adding simplicity to his game could elevate him even further.

“No, this is the first time,” Guardiola told Sky Sports when asked whether Cherki had practiced the rabona pass in training.

“He has a special, unique quality. Sometimes you love him and sometimes you hate him. Composure, personality, and the way he helped us to play especially in the final third. He has something that mum and dad gave to him.

“I want him to make a good cross, if he does that [rabona] and makes a bad cross I don’t like it. I never saw Messi doing these kinds of things.

“Messi is the best player to play the game and the biggest quality of Messi is the simplicity of what he does, the simple things he does perfectly. These types of players, like Rayan, they have to learn this.

“He’s so young, he came in this season and from the beginning he said he’s good. The players today have personality, they don’t care and they do that.”

The victory also extended City’s formidable record against promoted sides. They have now won 25 of their last 27 Premier League games against such opponents (D2), with their most recent defeat coming in a 2-1 home loss to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United back in April 2021.

“This was one of the best performances of the season,” Guardiola added. “Against a great team and what they have done so far.

“Many things are going to happen [in the title race]. It’s down to the way we play, not how many points behind we are.

“It’s the way you perform, the players are not stupid. Consistency doesn’t come from one result, it’s to be strong in many departments, and in the last nine or 10 games we have been good.”

Cherki has now managed five assists in the Premier League this season, more than any other player.

“I worked for that, I know my quality, my quality is my technique,” he told Sky Sports.

“When I play with Phil [Foden], Erling [Haaland], Omar [Marmoush], it’s very important to give the good balls for them.”

Sunderland, meanwhile, suffered their heaviest in the Premier League since a 5-1 loss to Chelsea on the final day of the 2016–17 campaign.

The Black Cats have also now failed to score in five of their 15 games, with only Wolves and Nottingham Forest failing to find the net more often this season.

“It’s tough to repeat performances at this level, after Bournemouth and Liverpool probably we are a bit tired,” Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris told BBC Sport.

“Man City’s quality is relentless so if you’re not at your best it’s difficult to manage their threat. They deserved to win.

“They have built this team over many seasons. For us it’s still the beginning of the journey. This defeat is fair and we have to learn from negative experiences and this one was difficult. We are still really positive.”