Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has lavished praise on Man City midfielder Nico O’Reilly.
Speaking to Betway, Henry said the way that manager Pep Guardiola utilises the 21-year-old makes him “very difficult to stop”:
“I named him as one of the best young players in the Premier League a few months ago, so it’s clear what I think of him. Nico O’Reilly is a good player who can give you a lot of options. Tactically, especially with the way Pep Guardiola likes to play, he’s a dream come true for a coach. Playing on the inside, the outside, he has an eye for goal at the back post and he’s got an engine, so what’s not to like?
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“In Pep’s system at Man City, it’s very difficult to stop him because they interchange positions and they’re not rigid. They’re not predictable, and although sometimes you know what they’re going to do, you can’t stop it because the ball is moving so well. So O’Reilly is very difficult to stop, but in that system with the way they play.”
O’Reilly’s positional flexibility makes him perfect for Guardiola
As Henry rightly points out, the England international is very comfortable in several different positions. Even though he started his career as an attacking midfielder, Guardiola has liked to use him as a left-back, a no.6, as well as a no.8.
O’Reilly is a Swiss Army Knife who presents a real threat in whichever role he plays in. He has 9 goals and 7 assists in 49 games this campaign.
Is the Man City star the favourite for the Young Player of the Year?
Guardiola has already backed him to win the PFA award, and the bookmakers are very much on his side. He is odds-on to take home the prize later this year.
Teammates Rayan Cherki and Abdukodir Khusanov are also in the running, but O’Reilly is the standout favourite at the moment.
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