Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola laud ‘extraordinary’ Nico O’Reilly for Carabao Cup final brace | OneFootball

Erling Haaland and Pep Guardiola heaped praise on Nico O’Reilly after the youngster’s match-winning brace in Manchester City’s 2-0 Carabao Cup final win over Arsenal.

The 21-year-old was the man on the biggest stage of his fledgling career, delivering a performance that left even his own manager in disbelief and one that is certain to accelerate his growing reputation as one of the most exciting young talents in English football.

It was a moment that felt entirely earned for a player who has quietly but emphatically made his case for a prominent role in City’s future throughout a breakthrough first full campaign under Guardiola.

City have endured a horrid few weeks – losing ground in the Premier League title race, bowing out of Europe courtesy of Real Madrid – and Sunday’s title crown will give O’Reilly and his teammates an immeasurable confidence boost for the league and FA Cup run-in.

Guardiola left stunned by O’Reilly’s season

In his post-match press conference, Guardiola admitted that O’Reilly’s rapid development has taken him by surprise – which, given how demanding the Catalan’s standards are, is about as glowing an endorsement as a young player can receive.

“It’s a surprise even for me,” Guardiola said of O’Reilly after the biggest day of the Mancunian’s professional career. “The season he has done so far is extraordinary.”

For a manager who has overseen the development of world-class talent throughout his career at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, those words carry significant weight.

Guardiola is not known for lavishing praise lightly and his candid admission that O’Reilly’s progress has exceeded even his own expectations speaks volumes about the trajectory the youngster is on.

Haaland delighted for young teammate

Haaland was equally effusive in his praise for O’Reilly, pointing out that Sunday’s decisive display from the Manchester City academy graduate was far from a one-off – and that those within the dressing room have seen this coming for some time.

“It’s not the first time this season he has done that,” Haaland added on O’Reilly. “What a game from him and I’m so happy for him!”

The Norwegian’s comments will resonate with supporters who have watched O’Reilly grow in stature and influence since his breakthrough into the senior squad last season.

While Sunday’s Wembley brace may have caught the wider football world off-guard, it was merely the latest chapter in what has been a quietly remarkable season for the young England international.

O’Reilly’s moment in the spotlight

There is something deeply fitting about O’Reilly announcing himself on football’s grand stage in the manner he did on Sunday.

Facing an Arsenal side that Guardiola himself described as arguably the best team in Europe alongside Bayern Munich and Barcelona, the 20-year-old showed no signs of the occasion overwhelming him. His brace was not just timely – it was composed, decisive and entirely deserving of the platform on which it arrived.

In O’Reilly, there is a very real sense that the club’s future is in safe hands – and that the rebuild being overseen by director of football Hugo Viana may have found one of its most important building blocks already within the walls of the Etihad Stadium.

Sunday was his day and if Guardiola and Haaland are to be believed, it is unlikely to be O’Reilly’s last.