Two Manchester City youngsters could add what Pep Guardiola’s side currently lacks | OneFootball

During the second half of Manchester City’s 1-nil defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Pep Guardiola made a host of substitutions. We saw Rico Lewis, Mateo Kovacic, Kevin De Bruyne and Omar Marmoush come on. Each player had the potential to change the outcome of Saturday’s match. Unfortunately, Pep Guardiola’s substitutions didn’t have the desired result. But looking forward to the closing stages of this season there could be merit to the idea of Pep Guardiola playing Nico O’Reilly and Claudio Echeverri in a similar situation. Both players have the talent to add something different to Manchester City’s play.

Nico O’Reilly and Claudio Echeverri may add a different element to Manchester City’s play.

We saw what Nico O’Reilly is capable of as a player during Manchester City’s 3-1 win over Plymouth Argyle at the Etihad. He scored a brace and his size was crucial to City’s set pieces. His pair of headers were vital for Manchester City on that day at the Etihad. But outside of his threat from set pieces, O’Reilly is an attacking midfielder with size. Pep Guardiola doesn’t have another player with the physical attributes that O’Reilly has. We have also seen O’Reilly add something in the final third during his time with Manchester City academy. Perhaps if City find themselves in a similar situation to the one they found themselves in at the City Ground over the run home O’Reilly could be an option.

The other player who could add some spark to Manchester City’s attacking play is Claudio Echeverri. He has arrived at the Etihad with big wraps on his talent and potential. Echeverri is more of a wildcard as we are yet to see him play for Manchester City. But based on what he has shown for River Plate and Argentina’s youth sides, he has an eye for a goal and a pass, and he is a bag of tricks when in possession. That is something Pep Guardiola’s side has been screaming out for at times this season. You do feel that the spark and brashness of youth Echeverri could add to Manchester City’s play would be something different rather than Guardiola turning to what he knows and trusts.

Summary.

We saw Pep Guardiola turn to what he knows with his substitutions against Nottingham Forest. But perhaps in a season where doing more of the same hasn’t had the desired results, it may be time for Nico O’Reilly and Claudio Echeverri to be given a run off the bench or in City’s starting lineup. They just may add something different and dynamic to Manchester City’s play, and they are screaming out for that and have been for some time.