Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola lauded the performance of Nico O’Reilly after Sunday’s 3–0 thrashing of Liverpool, hailing the fullback who not only managed to muzzle Mohamed Salah off the ball but wreaked havoc by constantly haring into the space vacated by the waning talisman.
Few sides have been terrorised by Salah as readily and consistently as Manchester City over the years. Heading into this weekend’s clash at the Etihad, the Egyptian icon had either scored or provided an assist in nine consecutive Premier League starts against Guardiola’s side. The last City backline to keep Salah quiet included Aymeric Laporte and Eric García.
As Guardiola pointed out: “Salah has been a nightmare for many years with his speed. He’s top.”
Yet, after having his way against an eclectic roll-call of left backs over the subsequent half-decade, Salah could find no way past O’Reilly, City’s 20-year-old natural attacking midfielder who does a little more than make up the numbers at the back.
“We said to Nico that he had to be aggressive,” Guardiola explained. “Every time Mo had the ball, he was helped with one or two central defenders—and Jérémy [Doku] and Bernardo [Silva] and Phil [Foden]. Nico made a step up because you have to prove how you behave against the best wingers. It is no bad example to do that against Salah.”
O’Reilly’s upbringing in a midfield role is viewed by Guardiola as a immense positive. “He has many, many good attributes, but this aggression and intensity in the duels happened because he was a No. 8 and No. 10 in the academy,” the Catalan coach theorised. “I’m so pleased with the way he is performing.”
Liverpool’s perennial top scorer failed to even divert a shot on target during a deeply frustrating 90 minutes. Yet, as has become the case this season, Salah’s work off the ball (or lack thereof) was just as crucial in the tactical fall out.
Salah Struggling to Justify Special Treatment
Across every competition, Liverpool's away form this year is alarming. pic.twitter.com/OhZVqYrFAQ
— Sports Illustrated FC (@SI_FootballClub) November 9, 2025
Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella shone a spotlight on how he was specifically instructed to take advantage of Salah’s distinct indifference to defending after setting up the winning goal against Liverpool last month.
On that occasion, it was the fullback who directly benefitted from his untracked runs. At the Etihad this weekend, O’Reilly’s unchecked canters forward created the space for Doku to exploit.
Sunday’s outstanding performer—even above O’Reilly—proved capable of beating two Liverpool players on his own, yet he was routinely presented with one-on-one opportunities thanks to O’Reilly’s willingness to relentlessly sprint forward on the underlap, taking away the attention of any player threatening to double up on Doku.
Wayne Rooney called out Salah’s lack of tracking back—which may very well have been an instruction from Arne Slot rather than bone-idleness. “Salah is in the team to score goals and create goals,” Rooney told BBC’s Match of the Day. “He’s been one of the best players in the Premier League over the last six or seven years. But in big games, you have to double up.
“You have to get back and help your teammate. Conor Bradley was having a really tough game today, to be left on his own. Ryan Gravenberch was trying his best to help him and get over there, but then that leaves spaces in other positions. I think Salah has to come back and help his teammate.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Pep Guardiola Explains How Man City Ended Mohamed Salah’s Five-Year Streak.
