Pep Guardiola has discussed whether Nico O’Reilly will be ready to face Newcastle United in Manchester City’s FA Cup fifth round tie.
Nico O’Reilly was the hero for Manchester City the last time they took on Newcastle, with his two goals sealing an important Premier League victory.
However, the midfielder picked up an injury against Leeds United and has since been stuck on the sidelines, missing the recent 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.
Pep Guardiola did not rule O’Reilly out of Man City’s most recent game, but clearly he was not back to match fitness in time to play a part on Wednesday night.
Still, having had a bit of additional time to recover, the 20-year-old has a greater chance of being available for selection against the Magpies this Saturday.
Pep Guardiola offers update on Nico O’Reilly
With Man City’s FA Cup fifth round tie fast approaching, Pep Guardiola has revealed how close O’Reilly is to making a full recovery.
The City manager kept things brief and said in his pre-match press conference: “He [O’Reilly] feels better, we will see today.”
This is not necessarily the confirmation Man City supporters were hoping for, but it does mean there is a chance that O’Reilly will feature for his club.
Besides, even if the youngster does end up missing the weekend battle, he could still be ready to face Real Madrid next week in a tie which is just as important, if not more so.
Man City need to win a trophy this season
The Premier League is not out of reach yet for City, but Arsenal are definitely the team best placed to go on and win the title.
Therefore, the other competitions Man City are competing for have become even more important, so they could really do with a win against Newcastle.
If City are knocked out of the FA Cup, they will begin to feel even more pressure to perform in other competitions, which is far from ideal.
However, a win could act as a real confidence booster, so it will be very good news if O’Reilly does become available.
