Three City players went to the World Cup. Four came home.
Elliot Anderson wasn’t even a City player as they headed to the US, but during the tournament he joined Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly and James Trafford as a Man City player.
Trafford, as a back-up keeper, didn’t feature in the tournament – he may get a run-out in the bronze medal game – but the other three were involved throughout England’s run to the semi-final, which ended in a 2-1 defeat by Argentina in Atlanta. Here’s how each of them fared:
Marc Guehi
Guehi started every game England played. He formed the centre of a defence that conceded six goals in seven matches, and did so despite a hamstring scare that was a doubt before the Norway quarter-final. He played well and appeared unaffected by it.
The semi-final against Argentina was his most demanding of the tournament. Guehi dealt with Julian Alvarez and Lionel Messi for long periods as Argentina turned the game around late on.
Neither of Argentina’s goals came from obvious mistakes at the back. Guehi’s first World Cup produced a consistent run of performances from City’s defender, in line with his form for the club this season.
Nico O’Reilly
O’Reilly started every England game up to and including the quarter-final. Handed the left-back role from the opening game against Croatia, the 21-year-old kept his place for the wins over DR Congo and Mexico. Against Ghana he headed a chance against the crossbar; in the Round of 16 win over Mexico he was part of a defence that held out in a 3-2 game at the Azteca Stadium.
A minor hamstring problem in the closing stages of the win over Norway forced his substitution in the 86th minute, and he did not start the semi-final against Argentina. He came on with eight minutes of normal time remaining. Three caps before the tournament, O’Reilly ends it as a first-choice left-back under Thomas Tuchel.
Elliot Anderson
Anderson started every one of England’s group games as a Nottingham Forest player. During that time, he completed a medical in Kansas as part of a British transfer record £116m move to City, with the deal finalised once he returned to England. By the semi-final against Argentina, he was a City player.
He was a regular in England’s midfield throughout the tournament and played the full 111 agonising minutes against Argentina. There was some rough treatment from Enzo Fernandez early in that game, which he played through without response, although he did pick up a booking for a foul on Messi.
It was a full body of work across seven matches for City’s record signing, ahead of his first pre-season at the club.
Guehi, O’Reilly and Anderson were involved in every stage of England’s run to the semi-final. Each returns to City for pre-season with a first World Cup behind them.
