Pep admits he wanted to kiss Rayan Cherki after the win against Nottingham

Coach Pep Guardiola disclosed that he has had conflicting feelings about the rookie midfielder Rayan Cherki, yet he insists that at this moment he just wants to celebrate something special with his French protégé after Man City defeated Nottingham.

Although highly praised by Pep Guardiola, Rayan Cherki still shows he needs significant improvement since besides some explosive moments, he has lacked consistency in Man City's colors this season. Yet at City Ground, the French midfielder shone at the right time. Specifically, his goal in the 83rd minute sealed a 2-1 victory for Man City over the resilient hosts Nottingham Forest.

But that was not Cherki’s only memorable moment against Nottingham. Cherki also assisted Tijjani Reijnders to open the scoring, before Omari Hutchinson equalized for Forest after a determined performance by the home team.

After the match, Pep Guardiola stated: “There were times I shouted at him, got angry, and other times I just wanted to kiss Cherki. So my feelings towards Cherki have always been very conflicted. I want him to be free to show his special talent. We need to build play better from the back so he gets more touches in that position. The second half was generally a bit better and Cherki had some very impressive moments.”

This was a victory of great significance for Man City, as they extended their winning streak in the Premier League to six matches. Although Arsenal soon took back the top spot, clearly the stability and resilience of a big club are helping Man City apply pressure and be ready to replace their rivals at any time.

Of course, Guardiola admitted Man City found a way to win a game that he believed they would not have overcome last season: "We have won the Premier League six times; matches like this mean a lot. These three points are extremely important even if you win through special moments. Today was one of those days.

What matters most is the quality of the opponent. Sean Dyche has built a proper team; it’s a very, very strong side. Facing clubs like this, you cannot predict anything. The key is how you perform. Sometimes you cannot press at 100% or keep possession the whole match.

At times, you have to defend and accept that you are not playing well, while acknowledging you can do better. Without that, there is no chance. Last season, there would have been about ten games we would have lost like this; now, Man City handles them better.”