Pre-Season Performance Review: Key Player Insights
On a humid pre-season night against the K-League XI, this felt less like a friendly and more like an audition. Some players grabbed the spotlight. Others simply moved through their minutes. A few raised bigger questions for the season ahead.
Donnarumma’s quiet night, one loud mistake
For Gianluigi Donnarumma, it was the kind of game goalkeepers dread. Long spells of inactivity, then a single moment that lingers. Beaten at his near post for the K-League XI’s equaliser, his main contribution was retrieving the ball from the back of the net. A 5 out of 10 kind of evening, and one he will want to forget quickly.
Defence: leadership, experiments and a stroll
Rico Lewis operated at right-back but never quite imposed himself. Neat, tidy, but subdued. His display only reinforced what last weekend hinted at: he looks far more at home stepping into midfield, dictating tempo rather than hugging the touchline. A solid 6, no more.
Next to him, Abdukodir Khusanov cruised. With City in control, the Uzbek’s pace and recovery speed were barely required. He moved through his 45 minutes with minimal fuss, rarely stretched, rarely troubled. Another comfortable 6.
Ruben Dias wore the armband and immediately looked the part. Vocal, commanding, he marshalled the back line with the authority you expect from a senior centre-back. With Bernardo Silva gone, the question now hangs in the air: is this the moment Dias becomes the permanent captain? On this evidence, he made a convincing case. Rating: 6, with the intangibles doing most of the talking.
On the left, Josko Gvardiol’s evening hinted at a tactical twist. Used at left-back in a squad stacked with centre-halves, he barely broke sweat defensively and looked assured throughout. If Maresca wants a more robust, hybrid full-back on that side, Gvardiol could easily be the man. A composed 6.
Midfield drive: Kovacic sharp, Reijnders outstanding
Mateo Kovacic looked like a player shaking off last season’s frustrations. Fully fit, constantly available for the ball, he stitched moves together with the kind of calm assurance City will need if Rodri is missing at the start of the campaign. He recently said the club “count on me” this season; his performance backed that up. A confident 7.
The real spark, though, came from Tijjani Reijnders. Given licence to roam, he seized it. He surged into the box with those long, marauding runs that rip midfields apart, played a major role in the opener, then hammered home a superb second with a rasping finish. This was a statement display. An 8, and the standout in midfield.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, pushed higher up from his usual left-back berth, adapted quickly. Timing his run perfectly, he met a cut-back with a crisp, first-time finish to break the deadlock. It was the sort of composed strike you expect from a winger, not a full-back repurposed for the night. A lively 7.
Phil Foden floated between the lines, constantly checking his shoulders, always wanting the ball. He found pockets, linked play, but when the big chance fell his way, he lashed it over from a prime position. Bright in flashes, wasteful in the key moment. A 6 that could easily have been higher.
Up front, Divin Mubama continued to nudge his name into the conversation. One poacher’s finish – pouncing after the goalkeeper spilled the ball – took him to two goals in two pre-season outings. He should have had another, somehow failing to convert with the goal gaping, but the instinct is clearly there. A promising 7.
Semenyo shines, others search for rhythm
From the right, Antoine Semenyo brought energy and edge. Lively, direct, constantly asking questions of his full-back, he produced the moment of the night with an audacious flick to set up Reijnders’ goal. This was another sparkling turn from the Ghanaian, who looks increasingly at ease at this level. A deserved 8.
Marcus Bettinelli, rarely called upon as the club’s third-choice goalkeeper, handled his cameo with composure. When the ball finally came his way, he stepped out confidently to claim a high cross under pressure. Simple, clean, effective. A steady 6.
Vitor Reis reacted sharply on the break, racing back to make a crucial block as the K-League XI threatened to score on the counter. It was a single moment, but an important one, and underlined his awareness. A 6.
Max Alleyne also read danger well, sliding across to shut down an opposition attack. Again, not a night of constant defending, but he did what was required. Another 6.
Savinho, so electric against Inter at the weekend, couldn’t find the same spark here. He struggled to influence the game and drifted on the periphery. A muted 6.
Nico Gonzalez showed for the ball at every opportunity, keen to take responsibility in the middle of the park. With Rodri absent, he will sense a chance to step up and claim more meaningful minutes. For now, a competent 6.
Stephen Mfuni banked more time at left-back, a useful run-out for the England youth international. Little drama, few errors, a straightforward 6.
Matheus Nunes, back from World Cup duty with Portugal, slotted into what has become his familiar role at right-back. He kept things tidy without ever fully exploding into life. Another 6.
Omar Marmoush, also returning from the World Cup with Egypt, found chances but not the finish. One header went astray, while two further efforts were repelled by the goalkeeper. The movement was there, the cutting edge was not. A 6.
Jaden Heskey’s appearance came with a subplot. With his brother Reigan leaving the club this summer, the younger Heskey’s own future remains uncertain. He got his minutes, showed willing, but did little to tilt the debate one way or the other. A 6.
Claudio Echeverri entered in the second half but struggled to leave a mark. Few touches of note, no major involvement in the key moments. A quiet 6.
Jeremy Monga, the £10m teenager signed from Leicester, stepped onto the pitch for his first City appearance and immediately piqued curiosity. He thought he had marked his debut with a goal, only to see it ruled out. Even so, there was enough in his brief cameo to excite the fans. A 6 with a hint of promise.
The unused substitutes – Jack Wint, Max Chabot, Kaden Braithwaite, Matty Henderson-Hall, Divine Mukasa, Xavier Parker, Floyd Samba and Mahamadou Sangare – will have to wait for their turn in this evolving pre-season script.
This wasn’t a night for sweeping judgments. It was a night of clues. Reijnders announcing himself, Semenyo sparkling, Dias looking every inch a captain, and a handful of youngsters edging closer to the real thing. When the serious games arrive, who from this cast will still be on the stage?
