Another quality option has emerged for Pep Guardiola to use in midfield | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola started Nico O’Reilly as a number six in midfield for Manchester City in their 2-nil win over Newcastle United in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie. O’Reilly had Bernardo Silva alongside him and Phil Foden in City’s midfield. Nico O’Reilly played 60 minutes before he was replaced by Rodri for the final half-hour of the match at St. James’ Park. In the 60 minutes that O’Reilly played in the heart of Manchester City’s midfield, he showed that Pep Guardiola now has another option to utilize in the role across the second half of this season.

Nico O’Reilly stood up to the challenge posed by the Newcastle midfield.

Eddie Howe started Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Jacob Ramsey in midfield in Tuesday night’s match. Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton are powerhouses in midfield, specializing in the physical side of playing in midfield. They are both strong in a duel and can make a game the messy affair that Newcastle typically thrives in. Both players are gifted technically so they are handful on their day. Nico O’Reilly had a challenge in front of him at St. James’ Park. He stood up to it as well as he could have, which was a credit to O’Reilly and he showed enough to suggest that Pep Guardiola now has another midfield option to call upon if required.

The physical test that the Newcastle United midfield poses didn’t knock O’Reilly off his game. He kept it simple playing in midfield when in possession and that is all O’Reilly had to do. O’Reilly benefited from having Bernardo Silva’s guile and experience alongside him and for the hour the young midfielder/left-back was on the pitch, he played a vital role for Pep Guardiola and his team. It was pleasing to see and Nico O’Reilly’s performance and it spoke volumes of his growth as a player this season.

Pep Guardiola seemingly has another option to utilize in midfield in a crucial role.

With Nico having carried a heavy workload this season and Rodri continuing to find his touch and full fitness, Pep Guardiola can use another player to step in as a number six in midfield when required. Nico O’Reilly showed against Newcastle that he is capable of doing a job in the role. If he can handle playing the role in the cauldron that is St. James’ Park and up against Newcastle’s midfield, O’Reilly is more than capable of playing as a six in midfield in other matches. Pep Guardiola loves his players to be versatile and Nico O’Reilly is just that. It would now seem that Guardiola has the option of playing Nico O’Reilly as a number six stored in his back pocket in case it is needed.

Nico O’Reilly looks to be another viable option for Pep Guardiola to utilize in midfield when required. The young England international stood up for his team against Newcastle and he looks to have added another valuable string to his bow as a player. That bow could prove to invaluable to Manchester City across the remainder of this season and beyond.