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Manchester City star signed a new contract last week and continues to impress at left back. But with Rayan Ait-Nouri set to be fit after the October international break, where does that leave the 20-year-old?
When Manchester City play a Premier League match with Nico O'Reilly in the team, they don't lose.
The 20-year-old has made nine top-flight starts and been on the winning side on seven occasions. Indeed, across 20 appearances in all competitions O'Reilly has only lost twice. The first was a Carabao Cup tie at Tottenham in a much-changed side nearly a year ago, and the second the FA Cup final.
Most of those City appearances have come at left back, despite O'Reilly progressing and impressing as an attack-minded midfielder in the Academy.
This season he has been one of City's most impressive performers, shackling the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Noni Madeuke during games against Manchester United and Arsenal and performing beyond his years.
O'Reilly is set to start again against Monaco in the Champions League and Brentford in the Premier League this week, before the return of Rayan Ait-Nouri, potentially in time for the game with Everton on the other side of the October international break, will provide Pep Guardiola with something of a dilemma.
So what next for O'Reilly? It was a topic discussed on the latest edition of the Talking City podcast with City writers Tyrone Marshall and Alex James. Here's what they had to say.
Tyrone Marshall
Twenty starts for City and two defeats, one of which was at Tottenham in the Carabao Cup last year which kind of feels irrelevant given all the changes. The other one was the FA Cup final.
Nine Premier League starts unbeaten. He is one of those players that makes other players look better. Since he came into the team Doku has gone up another level. City's record with Ait-Nouri was two defeats and a win, since O'Reilly has come in they are five unbeaten. I am not pinning it all on swapping those two, but there has to be something in it and something in the fact Doku's form has gone up.
He pops up in central positions and in the penalty area. He looks a really good left back. He looks at home there.
I think it is unlikely he stays in the team ahead of Ait-Nouri. There is enough games and O'Reilly will get the two this week. I still think Ait-Nouri gets in but obviously he is still finding his feet and O'Reilly just goes from strength to strength.
You wondered what would become of him this season, there was interest from other clubs, but he just finds a way to get into the team. He seems to take everything in his stride.
Alex James
I wonder whether there is an argument for playing him at right back on occasion, for the same reason he has done well at left back where City have a specialist, could he do the same thing on the right where City have a problem.
Nunes scored one and made one on Saturday but still doesn't convince as a long-term solution. O'Reilly is more of an attack minded midfielder naturally, Nunes is a central midfielder, and O'Reilly has adapted his game in a way that Nunes either can't or hasn't yet been able to.
O'Reilly has been able to make it work and Nunes, and to a lesser extent Rico Lewis, haven't.
Khusanov has made that position his own but will he play there week in week out? I am not sure. There is a chance for O'Reilly to get some minutes on that side, and also in midfield.
He has to be careful not to become a victim of versatility, but with the questions over right back still continuing and him showing his ability on the opposite flank, perhaps a full back role might be there for him moving forward.
Watch the latest Talking City podcast episode here
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