As Manchester City head into the 2024/2025 season, the usual suspects in their team are expected to prove key if they aim to win major silverware.
Amongst City’s whole host of attacking options, the Premier League winners will primarily be relying on the magnificence of Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden to get over the line throughout the campaign.
Further up the pitch, De Bruyne, Haaland and Foden are three of the most bankable match-winners at Pep Guardiola’s disposal.
In defence, it is difficult to pinpoint a single name as their most key figure as City tend to chop and change their backline based on the opponent, rotational purposes and potential unavailabilities.
Mainstays like Rodri and Bernardo Silva’s presence in the middle of the park will also be vital for the English giants’ hopes of contending for the biggest honours.
Richards names 21-year-old as potential key player for Man City now
However, beyond the expected stalwarts at the Etihad Stadium, there are bound to be others who have a major say on City’s displays during the campaign.
Last season, Josko Gvardiol emerged as one of Manchester City’s most in-form players during their title run-in.
Kyle Walker went as far to as to claim that Jack Grealish was the main player in City’s treble win last year.
Reviewing the latest Manchester Derby, Micah Richards feels Oscar Bobb could emerge as the main difference-maker for Manchester City during the upcoming season.
Richards said on The Rest Is Football podcast: “I’m not just saying it because of this game, if you watch the highlights for Man City’s pre-season, he’s been the best player. He’s been the best player by far.”
The pundit added: “And I really hope he can take that form into the season because you know what it’s like, there’s always a good youngster who emerges himself in pre-season and the season starts and he sort of gets an opportunity, he doesn’t really take it. But I just think Oscar Bobb could be the difference for Man City this season.”
“That’s how good I think he is. Played on that right-hand side, it’s going to be difficult because you know how Pep [Guardiola] sometimes likes to rotate, whether he’ll put [Phil] Foden on the right at times, now that Kevin De Bruyne’s fit, will he play Bernardo Silva, Bernardo Silva came on and Oscar Bobb was still on the field.”
“I really hope he’s the one this season.”
Don Hutchison backed Bobb to have a breakout season during the upcoming campaign.
In February last year, Graeme Souness lauded Bobb — even earmarking him as a potential replacement for Grealish out wide in the future.
Oscar Bobb could cement himself as a starter at Man City
Bobb could certainly emerge as a key player for City based on his performances in pre-season and against Manchester United, as Micah Richards stated.
The potential of becoming a regular starter for the Sky Blues would really be motivating the £25,000-a-week man.
In terms of the natural wingers at the club, Bobb’s biggest competitor on the right-wing is Savinho, who is also a young prospect and will be playing his first season of Premier League football.
As a result, the Norwegian could solidify his status as a starter at City and emerge as a crucial player for them if he manages to remain extremely consistent during the season.
