Nico O'Reilly could be back to haunt Newcastle again this weekendplaceholder image
Nico O'Reilly could be back to haunt Newcastle again this weekend | Getty Images
The latest Manchester City team news and injury updates ahead of facing Newcastle in the FA Cup.
Man City will make a late call on whether Nico O'Reilly will be fit enough to feature against Newcastle in the FA Cup fifth round this weekend.
The 20-year-old missed the midweek draw with Nottingham Forest after he picked up a knock in the narrow win over Leeds a week ago. O'Reilly was not fit enough to feature against Forest, and it is unclear whether he will be risked against Newcastle ahead of a trip to face Real Madrid next week.
O'Reilly has been one of the best City players in recent weeks and was sorely missed in midfield as they dropped points at home on Wednesday night. Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to face Newcastle, Pep Guardiola was quizzed on the academy graduate's fitness. “Yesterday (on Thursday) he felt better, we’ll see today,” he told reporters.
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Man City vs Newcastle FA Cup preview
Manchester City will hope to have Nico O’Reilly available when they make the trip to face Newcastle United in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday night. The cup clash comes shortly after the clubs also met three times in the Premier League and the League Cup, with O’Reilly scoring both goals as they won 2-1 in the league on 21 February.
It is unclear whether Rodri will be involved against Newcastle this weekend, with City eager to keep him fully fit for their Champions League knockout tie against Real Madrid later this month. Quizzed on his fitness, Pep Guardiola told reporters: “Finally this is happening what we wanted [for him] a long time ago when he came back and made steps back and having a consistent routine to play,”
“Now we have to play a lot of games and long travel away that the fatigue is involved – travelling to Madrid, travelling to London, and taking hours to arrive. We have to use all the squad otherwise it’s not possible to play with the rhythm we want to play.
“Step by step he’s getting better and better, everybody knows it.”
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