REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
Manchester City appear to have suffered an injury scare just a week before the Manchester derby with Manchester United. Enzo Maresca's men are in action against Coventry City today, facing the newly promoted side at home, and preparations for the fixture have not gone particularly well.
One of City's star men, Nico O'Reilly, was named in the starting XI initially, but he appeared to suffer an injury during the warm-up, leading to Enzo Fernandez getting his first start after his huge-money arrival from Chelsea on transfer deadline day.
O'Reilly is naturally a key cog in Enzo Maresca's team, and the City boss will be hoping the injury is nothing serious, especially with a busy week of next. City face FC Porto away from home in their Champions League opener on Tuesday night, and they then head to Old Trafford on Sunday to face rivals Man Utd. Maresca will want both Fernandez and O'Reilly available for that derby game, in particular.
City have started well this season, winning each of their first two Premier League games, and there is a different feel about their title hopes after a late run of spending which, of course, included the £125million signing of Fernandez. Along with fewllow new signing Elliot Anderson, City now have a midfield to be reckoned with, and in truth, it likely took signing both of those players to properly replace Rodri, who is a difference-maker in any midfield.
O'Reilly a vital player for City
Nathan Ray Seebeck va Reuters
Speaking at the end of last season, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville said of O'Reilly "Nico O'Reilly. What a player. I still can't get my head around, at the Etihad in the corner, skipping past about two or three players.
“The Carabao Cup final too, with two goals. You don't do that. I've been a young full-back breaking through, going into the England set-up after 20 or 30 games. But not like that — he's like Gareth Bale going forward, and Paolo Maldini when he defends. I can't envisage how full-back has changed that much when you have this presence, confidence and belief in such a young player.”
Jamie Carragher added: “It's not just playing left-back, he pops up at No 10, he's a wonderful talent.”