Pep Guardiola praised Nico O’Reilly’s “big presence” after the teenager’s double turned Manchester City’s FA Cup tie against Championship strugglers Plymouth around.
City were stunned when they fell behind to a Maksym Talovierov header in the 38th minute of their fifth-round meeting at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, but 19-year-old O’Reilly led the fightback.
The young midfielder, playing in an unnatural left-back role, levelled before the break and then put City ahead 14 minutes from time – both goals headers – before Kevin De Bruyne wrapped up a 3-1 win late on.
O’Reilly was the subject of an approach from Chelsea in January, but City wanted to keep the academy product and manager Guardiola, safely through to the quarter-finals, is pleased he stayed.
Guardiola said: “Sometimes you take a good decision, otherwise, he would not to score two goals. He’s not a typical player from the academy because, all the academy players, they are so small.
“But he has a big, big presence. Normally, he’s an attacking midfielder, he’s the number 10, arrives to the box really well, has a sense of goal.
“For the (injury) problems that we have, he has adapted really well as a full-back. He’s another threat from our set-pieces because we are not a tall team and he helps us.
“He plays really good with the ball and without the ball and he helped us with two fantastic goals.”
O’Reilly’s first came as he nodded in a trademark De Bruyne free-kick and he repeated the feat from a Phil Foden corner in the second half.
It was his ninth appearance of a breakthrough season and took his goal tally to three, having also struck in the third-round win over Salford.
After a disappointing campaign, the FA Cup now provides City’s only route to silverware in the regular season – they compete in the Club World Cup in the summer – and O’Reilly is pleased to be playing a part.
“I thought it was a great game, we’re happy to get the win and I’m buzzing to get the two goals as well,” he said.
“I am so happy to help my team out and into the quarter-finals. It’s an amazing feeling to have the trust from the manager and also my team-mates.”
City’s fightback ended Plymouth’s unlikely run in the competition, having previously knocked out Premier League sides Brentford and Liverpool.
They return to their Championship relegation battle having made their mark, particularly through Ukraine defender Talovierov.
The tall, ponytailed defender, signed for a club record fee in January, could almost have been mistaken for Erling Haaland in the way he clinically headed in the opener.
Manager Miron Muslic said: “His goal is the summary of his performance, the summary of his character – just a straight guy, top guy, big heart, big passion, loves to defend, loves to give it all.”
Talovierov had spoken in the build-up to the game of the difficulties in pursuing his career while his country is at war and his loved ones remain at home.
Muslic, whose family moved from Bosnia to Austria because of war, said: “One hundred per cent I can empathise. I’m a refugee, I know what this experience is.
“Sport and football just gives him an escape. I think you saw him here, he played like a champion.”
