Jamie O’Hara drops sensational Nico O’Reilly verdict after what he’s seen at Man City
Nico O’Reilly has experienced a sudden rise to fame after being given a rare opportunity to impress by Pep Guardiola.
The 20-year-old scored his first goal of the season as Man City beat Bournemouth 3-1, then nearly scored in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund, before silencing Liverpool‘s Mohamed Salah.
He only emerged as a fringe player last season due to Josko Gvardiol having to play out of position, but now, Guardiola is not the only manager appreciating the youngster for his talents.
Thomas Tuchel called up O’Reilly for the last England squad and has done so again for games against Serbia and Albania. He could earn his Three Lions debut on Thursday, 13 November.
And with his rise being largely talked about, Jamie O’Hara has dropped an interesting opinion on the full-back, one that the England boss might have to listen to.
Nico O’Reilly already in the conversation for starting England spot
Speaking on Sky Sports (13 November), O’Hara said: “You say we haven’t got good options, but we have. We’ve got Djed Spence, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and [Nico] O’Reilly. There are options there.
“It’s not Ashley Cole, but we’re blessed in so many areas. You can’t have world-class players in every position. We’ve got some decent players who are playing Premier League football, who are performing well.
“You’ve got to get the right balance. I think O’Reilly, from what I’ve seen of him at Manchester City, his physicality and the way he plays under Pep [Guardiola], I think he’s perfect to play in that role.”
Lewis-Skelly has faltered at Arsenal, with rumours now suggesting that a loan move is on the cards, so O’Reilly now only has Spence to battle for the position ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Phil Foden hoping to follow in Man City teammate’s footsteps
Phil Foden has also been involved in the latest England squad despite being dropped last time out, with the 25-year-old clearly back to his best at the Etihad Stadium.
He has four goals and three assists in 14 games across all competitions already, combining almost-telepathically with Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku in the final third.
It has been a joy to watch for City fans, who have continued to back him during a very difficult spell in his career. It would be even better to see both Foden and O’Reilly on the pitch together for the Three Lions.