- Nico O’Reilly has had unforgettable season
- Receives praise from Pep Guardiola
- Manager outlines his strongest attributes
Pep Guardiola has poured out praise on Nico O’Reilly, the player who pushed Manchester City towards glory in their last cup final.
Anyone who has been watching Nico O’Reilly will not have been surprised when they learnt that he is a nominee for the Premier League’s young player of the season award.
The versatile 21-year-old has been one of Man City’s strongest performers, whether he has played as a left-back or a midfielder.
O’Reilly will be hoping to start for England at the World Cup this summer, and a good performance in the FA Cup final this afternoon would certainly boost his chances.
Nico O’Reilly branded the perfect player by Pep Guardiola
Speaking in his press conference ahead of Man City’s match against Chelsea, Pep Guardiola has spoken about how impressed he has been by O’Reilly.
Guardiola is particularly keen on the England international’s physicality, along with the way he can quickly burst into action.
“He’s so young, it’s not his position [left-back] but he’s learned a lot,” Guardiola said of O’Reilly.
“But the impact he’s had this season has been not necessary to tell. He made his position elsewhere, more central, more close to the box, but with his physicality [and] pace.
“I remember last season one game at home against [a team from] the lower divisions, his physicality to go and come back – he’s a perfect player for this league.”
O’Reilly is the ideal modern full-back
Making 51 appearances in all competitions this season, O’Reilly has very much become a key contributor at Man City.
And he is so much more than just a defender, registering nine goals and six assists during the campaign so far.
With such a varied game, O’Reilly has been able to keep Rayan Ait-Nouri out of City’s team, and he is only going to get better as he becomes more experienced.
Another cup final opportunity for O’Reilly
Undoubtedly, O’Reilly’s Carabao Cup final performance has been the highlight of his season, as he scored twice to snatch the trophy away from Arsenal.
The youngster was brilliant in that game, putting Kepa Arrizabalaga under heaps of pressure and capitalising on his mistakes.
With another trophy on offer today, O’Reilly will be looking to become the hero at Wembley for a second time this season.
He scored against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last month, and doing so again would make him a goalscorer in both domestic cup finals. What an accomplishment that would be!
