A Manchester City youngster has begun to blossom as a player this season | OneFootball

When Rayan Ait-Nouri went down with an ankle injury at the end of August, it gave Nico O’Reilly the opportunity to make the left-back position his own. Over City’s past six matches, O’Reilly has become a key player for Manchester City. His technical ability and physical attributes make Nico O’Reilly a tantalising prospect for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Watching O’Reilly play over City’s past six matches, he is blossoming as a player. He has gone from a talented young player to an important player for City very quickly. That is a credit to him and shows that Manchester City have a special player on their hands in Nico O’Reilly.

Nico O’Reilly has become an important player for Manchester City.

Nico O’Reilly has played exceptionally well in Manchester City’s past two matches. He helped set the tone in the second half of Manchester City’s 5-1 win over Burnley last weekend. O’Reilly’s determination and drive from the left-back position helped Pep Guardiola’s side finally put away a stubborn Burnley side. What was striking about O’Reilly’s performance against Burnley was that he was willing to drive at Scott Parker’s sides defence. O’Reilly wasn’t scared to put his imprint on that particular game. This shows just how quickly he has grown as a City first-team player.

During Manchester City’s 2-all draw with AS Monaco, Nico O’Reilly was Manchester City’s best player on the pitch outside of Erling Haaland. He defended well against a pacey and tricky opponent in AS Monaco. He set up Erling Haaland’s second goal of the game with a sublime assist. Outside of his assist, O’Reilly was strong defensively and played a key role in Manchester City’s possession game. What was apparent against AS Monaco, is that Nico O’Reilly now belongs in the Manchester City starting eleven. He has quickly progressed from a young player on the periphery of Pep Guardiola’s squad to a key player for his team.

Rayan Ait-Nouri will have a battle on his hands to take Nico O’Reilly’s place.

It is expected that Rayan Ait-Nouri will be back from his ankle injury after the upcoming international break. Looking at how quickly Nico O’Reilly has grown as a player, Ait-Nouri faces a battle to take Nico O’Reilly’s spot in the City starting eleven. Competition for places is exactly what Pep Guardiola wants and demands. He has that at the left-back position in Nico O’Reilly and Rayan Ait-Nouri. That is a good thing for Manchester City and speaks volumes about how important Nico O’Reilly has become for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Nico O’Reilly has blossomed as a player. Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden may get the headlines, but O’Reilly’s rise cannot be overlooked. He has become a key player for City extremely quickly, which is exciting for now and for the future.