Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says a final decision will be made on Nico O’Reilly’s availability ahead of their FA Cup fifth-round encounter with Newcastle United this weekend.
The 20-year-old midfielder has recently emerged as one of City’s most impressive performers, but he was absent during the midweek stalemate against Nottingham Forest after suffering a knock during last week’s narrow victory over Leeds United.
City were forced to cope without the academy graduate on Wednesday night, and his absence was felt in midfield as the Sky Blues dropped points at home.
With an important run of fixtures approaching, Guardiola and his staff are expected to carefully assess whether O’Reilly is ready to return for the trip to St James’ Park.
The young midfielder’s condition has been closely monitored by the club’s medical team since the Leeds game, and Guardiola admitted the player had shown signs of improvement in recent days.
However, the manager suggested the final call on his participation would depend on how he responds in training.
“Yesterday (on Thursday) he felt better, we’ll see today,” Guardiola told reporters during his pre-match press conference.
O’Reilly’s rise into the senior side has been one of the standout stories of City’s recent matches. The academy product has impressed with his composure on the ball and his ability to influence games in midfield.
His most notable contribution came when City faced Newcastle in the Premier League last month. On that occasion, O’Reilly scored both goals in a 2-1 victory on 21 February, underlining his growing importance within Guardiola’s squad.
That performance highlighted his attacking instincts as well as his tactical awareness, qualities that have earned him increased trust from the coaching staff.
His absence against Nottingham Forest was therefore noticeable, particularly as City struggled to control large portions of the match.
With the FA Cup representing another major objective for the club this season, Guardiola must now weigh the risks of bringing O’Reilly back too soon.
The upcoming fixture schedule is demanding, and the team are also preparing for a high-profile Champions League tie against Real Madrid next week.
Guardiola cautious over Rodri fitness
Another player whose involvement remains uncertain for the Newcastle match is Rodri. The Spanish midfielder has been working his way back to full fitness, and City are keen to ensure he is in peak condition for their upcoming European clash with Real Madrid.
Rodri has gradually returned to action in recent weeks after dealing with fitness setbacks earlier in the season.
Guardiola indicated that the player’s recovery has been progressing steadily, although the coaching staff are still managing his workload carefully.
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Quizzed about Rodri’s situation, Guardiola emphasised that the club had been waiting for this stage of the player’s rehabilitation.
“Finally this is happening what we wanted [for him] a long time ago when he came back and made steps back and having a consistent routine to play,” he said.
With several demanding fixtures approaching, including long journeys and quick turnarounds between matches, Guardiola acknowledged that fatigue is becoming an increasing factor for his squad.
“Now we have to play a lot of games and long travel away that the fatigue is involved – travelling to Madrid, travelling to London, and taking hours to arrive. We have to use all the squad otherwise it’s not possible to play with the rhythm we want to play.”
Despite the caution surrounding his minutes, Guardiola believes Rodri is gradually returning to his best condition and continuing to improve with each appearance.
“Step by step he’s getting better and better, everybody knows it.”
