Nico O’Reilly expressed his hopes that Manchester City has dealt Arsenal a significant setback with their recent Carabao Cup victory at Wembley, ahead of the upcoming Premier League run-in.
On Sunday, City emerged victorious against Mikel Arteta’s team with a score of 2-0, marking Pep Guardiola’s fifth Carabao Cup triumph.
The two teams are currently nine points apart at the top of the Premier League standings, with their next encounter scheduled for April 19 at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola mentioned afterward that he is uncertain whether the Carabao Cup result will have an effect on the title race.
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However, O’Reilly, who scored both goals in the win against Arsenal, believes the victory will heighten the pressure on the league leaders as they pursue their first title in over two decades.
“Absolutely, it’s a blow for them, and we need to capitalize on this win to build some momentum,” O’Reilly asserted. “Once the international break is over, we need to push forward and fight hard.”
“We have a game in hand in the Premier League, and we have them coming to our home ground. We’re also still in the FA Cup. We know Liverpool will be a tough opponent, so we have to do everything we can to keep our momentum going.”
In the first half against Arsenal, City struggled and did not register a shot on target. However, they dominated the second half, and O’Reilly credited Guardiola’s halftime adjustments for their success.
“We really took control in the second half,” he reflected. “We didn’t give them any room to breathe. A few tactical and positional tweaks from the manager made a significant difference.”
O’Reilly’s impressive weekend was capped off by being named in the England squad on Friday and celebrating his 21st birthday on Saturday.
“It was a perfect weekend; I couldn’t have asked for more,” he said. “Now we can enjoy a bit and prepare for the international break.”