Key events
O’Reilly, meanwhile, isn’t the first young midfielder to break through at full-back – Paul Ince and Roy Keane, for example, both did stints there early in their Man United careers. What is particularly enjoyable about watching him there, though, is that he’s still playing his natural game in terms of getting into the box, making the runs he’d make were he playing centrally, which are extremely hard to pick up, given they come from wide. I’m not sure I’d pick him ahead of Lewis Hall for England, who probably need something a bit more conventional – we’ll get to that in due course – but at club level, he’s a menace.
Moat notable about Khusanov is his recovery pace, but he’s going to need that less and less as his defensive nous improves. But it’ll always give the team he’s in the freedom to play a high line and allow him to go one against one with whoever the opposition leave upfield – exactly what Pep Guardiola’s systems demand.
Are Manchester City running into form? They played extremely well before the break in beating Arsenal to the League Cup, and a tousing of Liverpool kept the good vibes going. It’s been an iffy season by Erling Haaland’s stratospheric standards, but if his hat-trick sets him off on a run, he’s got plenty of scope to be the different in the race for the title, while it’s also worth mentioning Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico O’Reilly and Rayan Cherki, all of whom are developing extremely quickly.
I say onwards, but we can’t really conceive of today without first looking back at yesterday – events could have ramifications beyond the simple identity of the last four in the men’s competition.
Preamble
Morning all
It’s another big day in the FA Cup, with West Ham facing Leeds in the last of our men’s quarter-finals while, in the women’s competition, Arsenal entertain Brighton with Liverpool travelling to Charlton.
Onwards!
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