Manchester City star sent Pep Guardiola warning in Lionel Messi comparison

A former Manchester City star has warned Rayan Cherki that he can only get away with “showboating” if he is “hitting the levels” expected of him by Pep Guardiola.

Cherki has enjoyed an impressive debut season at City, making 23 goal contributions across all competitions following his summer switch from Lyon.

The 22-year-old also made headlines during City’s Carabao Cup final win when he juggled the ball in the second half, with Manchester United legend Gary Neville calling him arrogant and former Premier League manager Alan Pardew branding his actions “an insult in the pro game”.

Guardiola also appeared unimpressed, with cameras capturing him shaking his head with his arms folded on the touchline.

And Gareth Barry, who spent four seasons playing for City, has spoken exclusively to Sports Mole about Cherki's "showboating".

Rayan Cherki sent Pep Guardiola warning

“The mavericks, those players who are so exciting to watch, it’s almost like the managers don’t want to risk having one of those players in their team, which is a shame,” Barry told Sports Mole on behalf of Midnite.

“As a kid, players like Paul Gascoigne, that’s who your idols were, that’s who you go and watch. But it’s so competitive now, if a player is not performing at a level the manager doesn’t want to see him doing his tricks.

"Look at Cherki at City. Pep Guardiola has worked with [Lionel] Messi, he doesn't like to see players showboating unless they are hitting the levels.

"Messi could do it because he is hitting those levels season in season out, for me Cherki can get away with that next season if he is having another season like he has had this year. The work rate has to be there as well as the showboating.”

Premier League is the “greatest league to watch”

Barry has also rejected suggestions that the Premier League is becoming too “robotic”.

“Sometimes we are concentrating on certain teams,” Barry explained. “Man City keeping the ball a lot of fans get frustrated because they are dominating and it’s not end to end.

“Arsenal have gone down the route of set pieces, and these are the two top teams and it’s creating a lot of headlines. But you’ve got so many other teams in the Premier League who are great to watch.

“I look at Newcastle and Bournemouth, they are bringing entertainment. I still think the Premier League is one of, if not the greatest league to watch.”

It was Neville who criticised the "robotic" nature of the Premier League following a 0-0 draw in the Manchester derby last year, with the ex-England star claiming that players are "micromanaged to an inch of their lives" nowadays.

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