Man City have found unexpected double benefit that could alter transfer thinking

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Manchester City have seemingly settled on Matheus Nunes and Nico O'Reilly as first choice full back options, a scenario that seemed unlikely even just a couple of months ago

When Manchester City were beaten by Tottenham in August, you'd have got long odds on Matheus Nunes and Nico O'Reilly being the first choice full backs.

Both were unused subs as City were beaten 2-0. The summer signing of Rayan Ait-Nouri had seemingly ended the O'Reilly experiment at left back with the 20-year-old's initial appearances this season coming in midfield.

Nunes, meanwhile, was behind Rico Lewis in the pecking order and when the Portugal international was handed a start - against Brighton - he struggled and lost his place to Abdukodir Khusanov.

The Uzbekistan international looked the heir apparent at right back until injury struck and, with Ait-Nouri also suffering an injury, Nunes and O'Reilly grabbed their chance with both hands.

The latter has gone on to make his England debut at left back while Nunes could even play his way into Portugal's World Cup starting XI on the right of defence.

The pair have been two of the biggest success stories of City's season so far.

"O'Reilly has to be first choice as things stand," said City writer Tyrone Marshall, speaking on the latest Talking City podcast. "Him and Nunes give a bit of what Pep Guardiola wants with full backs.

"When they won the Treble he often played four centre backs across the defence for physicality, previously Pep has played midfielders in full back roles and O'Reilly and Nunes give a bit of both.

"It looks like Nunes is the man in possession, he is starting to influence games going forward with that great cross for Haaland. For a full back he is big and strong and he rag-dolled (Florian) Wirtz last weekend."

The recent form of both has been impressive, what the future holds will also be interesting. O'Reilly may well have long-term ambitions on returning to the midfield role he occupied coming through the ranks at the Etihad, while Nunes could find his place under threat from a potential new signing next summer - even if that addition looks less of a priority that it did a few months ago.

"There comes a point where you have to make a decision about Lewis," added Marshall. "It feels like Guardiola has gone cold on Lewis as a right back.

"Khusanov - is he a centre back long term or will he do both? John Stones has done both.

"Right back feels the obvious area to upgrade and they were in the market for one last summer.

"If you kept Nunes and Khusanov as options, maybe you would want another player but maybe someone who is a bit younger and who can learn and challenge.

"With O'Reilly he is maybe still thinking he can be a midfielder at City at some point. Maybe at some point he is Bernardo's replacement. He is young enough to think he could still get a chance in midfield but mature enough to know that right now he can be be happy playing at left back."

City are certainly happy, with their flying full backs helping shape their title challenge.