Pep Guardiola cut an emotional figure at full-time as Man City clawed out a dramatic 2-1 victory over Everton, thanks to late goals from Mateo Kovacic and breakout star Nico O’Reilly. The win, which could define their push for Champions League qualification, felt like a release for a side that has battled injuries, inconsistency, and disappointment all season.
City, the first club in English history to win four straight top-flight titles, are no longer chasing the crown. But Saturday’s gutsy comeback at Goodison Park kept their European hopes very much alive.
With the Premier League set to offer five Champions League spots next season, the stakes are massive, and City are making a late dash for the line. At 84 minutes, it looked like more dropped points were on the way. Then O’Reilly struck, followed by Kovacic. The relief on Guardiola’s face said it all.
“I would say big. It is massively important,” Guardiola told BBC Sport. “Liverpool and Arsenal couldn’t win here. Tonight, we sleep fourth. It’s in our hands now.”
The manager was also quick to heap praise on 20-year-old O’Reilly, whose goal made him the fourth-youngest City player to score in back-to-back Premier League games, joining the likes of Foden and Jesus on the list.
O’Reilly’s rise has come as a result of necessity, with injuries to Nathan Ake, John Stones, and Manuel Akanji forcing Guardiola to get creative. The Manchester-born talent, naturally an attacking midfielder, has been slotted into an inverted left-back role, pushing into midfield during build-up play.
“He’s not really a left-back,” Guardiola admitted. “But he’s helping us a lot. I’m more than grateful. He’s taking his opportunity.”
That opportunity has turned into end product. O’Reilly now has six goal involvements in his last six matches. His blend of technical sharpness and smart runs into the box has added a new layer to City’s transitional play, a much-needed lift after a difficult stretch that saw them crash out of the Champions League playoffs and fade from the title race.
Despite sitting behind Liverpool and Arsenal in the table, the mood in the City camp has shifted. Guardiola sees momentum. The fans see belief. And the squad? They see a finish line.
“We have a final on Tuesday against Aston Villa,” said Guardiola. “Three games at home, two away. We keep going.”
As for O’Reilly, the soft-spoken youngster knows he’s still learning.
“My defending and positioning is definitely improving,” he said. “Every day I’m just learning and I’m grateful for that.”
Even his teammates are taking notice.
Ilkay Gundogan called him “very humble and shy,” but admitted that O’Reilly’s timing, movement, and technical quality have been “amazing in recent weeks.”
With Kevin De Bruyne expected to leave this summer and the squad undergoing a generational shift, Guardiola may have just found the next name to build around, one goal at a time.
Up next: Aston Villa. Another final. Another must-win. But with O’Reilly rising and Guardiola rallying, Manchester City aren’t going down quietly.
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