Cherki Stars as Man City Edge Past Leeds to Turn Screws on Arsenal

Pep Guardiola has lavished praise on Rayan Cherki following Manchester City's crucial weekend triumph at Elland Road, hailing the summer arrival's performance as his finest yet in sky blue.

City's 1-0 win at Leeds narrows the gap to Arsenal at the top of the Premier League to two points, keeping the title race deliciously tight with ten fixtures remaining. Antoine Semenyo's well-taken finish just before the interval proved the difference, arriving after the hosts had squandered several gilt-edged opportunities earlier in the contest.

The visitors appeared vulnerable in stretches, with Leeds posing genuine problems on the break, yet City's quality ultimately prevailed in what Guardiola described as a testing examination at a hostile ground.

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, the City boss reflected on a performance built on pragmatism rather than flamboyance: "We made a lot of passes that we needed to do to survive, without much intention to attack. The reaction was amazing, unbelievable with the goal we scored. A complete game in a tough, tough place, and 10 games left in the Premier League. Time to be decisive."

Cherki combined with fellow new recruit Rayan Ait-Nouri in the build-up to Semenyo's winner, and Guardiola reserved special commendation for the winger's contribution. "Cherki, for me, is the best game," he explained. "Solidity and aggressive with the ball."

The manager also highlighted the broader integration of his recent signings: "All of them were really good — commitment, and they stuck with the gameplan. Now, in that part of the season — how is the mindset? After nine months, everyone knows what they want to do."

Guardiola emphasised the long-term project at the Etihad: "Now we are building these players and they have a long, long time here. It is important for the future of the club. Especially with the gap in the Champions League a bit bigger, that is so important for the club. [We are the] only English club that has been there every year for 10 or 11 years."

The spotlight now shifts to Arsenal, who must respond when they welcome sixth-placed Chelsea on Sunday.

City managed Saturday's encounter without Erling Haaland, though the Norwegian's absence proved less problematic than some might have feared. Since arriving in 2022, City have won 14 of their 18 matches without their prolific striker — a record yielding just two defeats, a 78 per cent win rate, and an average of 2.4 points per game.

Still, Guardiola is keen to have his talismanic forward available again and took a swipe at the fixture scheduling, particularly regarding the FA Cup. "We have three days [until Nottingham Forest]," he noted. "And then after that in the FA Cup, thank you so much for letting us play at 8pm instead of 3pm, so we have less time to recover before playing Real Madrid. So again, thank you so much. This is what you have to live with, but you have to deal with that."