Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola lauded the performance of Nico O’Reilly after Sunday’s 3–0 thrashing of Liverpool, hailing the fullback who not only managed to muzzle Mohamed Salah off the ball but wreaked havoc by constantly haring into the space vacated by the waning talisman.
Few sides have been terrorised by Salah as readily and consistently as Manchester City over the years. Heading into this weekend’s clash at the Etihad, the Egyptian icon had either scored or provided an assist in nine consecutive Premier League starts against Guardiola’s side. The last City backline to keep Salah quiet included Aymeric Laporte and Eric García.
As Guardiola pointed out: “Salah has been a nightmare for many years with his speed. He’s top.”
Yet, after having his way against an eclectic roll-call of left backs over the subsequent half-decade, Salah could find no way past O’Reilly, City’s 20-year-old natural attacking midfielder who does a little more than make up the numbers at the back.
“We said to Nico that he had to be aggressive,” Guardiola explained. “Every time Mo had the ball, he was helped with one or two central defenders—and Jérémy [Doku] and Bernardo [Silva] and Phil [Foden]. Nico made a step up because you have to prove how you behave against the best wingers. It is no bad example to do that against Salah.”
O’Reilly’s upbringing in a midfield role is viewed by Guardiola as a immense positive. “He has many, many good attributes, but this aggression and intensity in the duels happened because he was a No. 8 and No. 10 in the academy,” the Catalan coach theorised. “I’m so pleased with the way he is performing.”
Liverpool’s perennial top scorer failed to even divert a shot on target during a deeply frustrating 90 minutes. Yet, as has become the case this season, Salah’s work off the ball (or lack thereof) was just as crucial in the tactical fall out.
