Rayan Cherki sends message Man City fans will love after cheeky Arsenal moment

• 

• Sport
• Football
• Rayan Cherki

Rayan Cherki featured for France in their friendly with Colombia and spoke of his enjoyment at playing football after the win

Rayan Cherki says his football focus is on smiles rather than statistics - even if Pep Guardiola might not agree.

The Manchester City maverick courted headlines in the Carabao Cup final when he did some keep ups on the touchline during the second half of the 2-0 win over Arsenal. That earned him a shake of the head from his manager and a few minutes later Gunners defender Ben White clattered the 22-year-old.

Guardiola, who has heaped praise on Cherki's talent and personality, urged the City man to focus on simplicity after the midfielder produced a stunning rabona assist for Phil Foden to score against Sunderland in December.

But Cherki's approach to the game makes him a firm fan favourite and the playmaker has doubled down on his approach while away on international duty with France.

Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our City WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our City Facebook page by clicking HERE and don't miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.

"I play simply," he said, speaking to L'Equipe. "I know opposing teams are waiting to pounce, so the only thing I want is for my teammates and the fans to leave the stadium with a smile on their face.

"Whether I score or provide an assist is the least of my concerns. I really want Marcus (Thuram), Maghnes (Akliouche), Désiré (Doué), Kylian (Mbappé), Michael (Olise), and Ousmane (Dembélé) to have as much fun as possible when they play with me. No matter where I am on the pitch, they know the ball will come to them."

Cherki started the friendly win against Colombia in America and played 78 minutes as France won 3-1.

"We had a great time with the guys, it's fantastic!" he added. "We're very satisfied. Our team cohesion is superb.

"We have a young group that gets along well and has a coach who understands us perfectly. And on the pitch, as you saw today and against Brazil (who France beat 2-1 last Thursday), what we're producing is really promising.

"These two matches were about honing our skills; we're not rushing things and we're eager for June."

Cherki was also thankful to avoid injury in what was a physical match. One challenge on Michael Olise drew particular ire from the France camp with manager Didier Deschamps saying the Bayern Munich man was lucky not to have broken his leg.

Cherki added: "The most important thing is that every player came out of this match unharmed. We know that South American teams are very physical. It might be a wake-up call for the World Cup, but we too will put in the hard work, and if we have to get physical, we won't hesitate.

"I wouldn't say I'm used to it, but it's part of my game. I accept it, even if when it's unsportsmanlike, it's not good for football. Today, I responded on the pitch; there's nothing more to add."