Enzo Maresca said Nico O’Reilly experienced discomfort in his back after the Manchester City defender was left out of the starting line-up for the match against Coventry.
“Nico felt discomfort in his back,” Maresca said when commenting on the English defender’s condition.
O’Reilly’s absence was the main fitness issue addressed by the Manchester City manager before the team’s 1-0 victory over Coventry. The defender did not begin the match, with Maresca explaining that the decision was linked to the problem he had felt in his back.
The brief update provided the reason for O’Reilly’s omission from the starting XI but did not include any further details about the nature or seriousness of the discomfort. Maresca’s comments focused specifically on the defender’s back issue and his absence from the opening line-up.
Manchester City went on to secure a narrow 1-0 win. The result gave them three points from the match and took their total to nine points in the Premier League, where they are currently top of the table.
The victory ensured that the team’s immediate result was unaffected by O’Reilly’s absence. Manchester City held on for the one-goal win against Coventry, while the fitness concern surrounding the defender remained the main point from Maresca’s post-match comments.
O’Reilly, an English defender, was therefore not part of Manchester City’s starting team for the fixture. Maresca’s explanation connected that selection decision with the discomfort the player had experienced in his back, rather than providing any wider assessment of his availability.
The club’s 1-0 success over Coventry leaves Manchester City leading the Premier League on nine points. No further information was given about how long O’Reilly might be unavailable or whether the back problem would affect his involvement in future matches.
For now, the confirmed details are that O’Reilly did not start against Coventry, Maresca attributed the decision to back discomfort, and Manchester City claimed victory to move to the top of the Premier League with nine points.