Pre-season Friendly Insights: City vs K-League XI

Pre-season friendlies rarely tell the full story of a campaign, but they do whisper clues. In this one, as City eased through their workout against the K-League XI, it was the supporting cast and positional experiments that did most of the talking.

Donnarumma’s quiet night, one costly lapse

For Gianluigi Donnarumma, it was the kind of evening goalkeepers dread: almost nothing to do, then one moment to get right. He didn’t. Beaten at his near post for the K-League XI’s equaliser, his contribution began and ended with picking the ball out of the net. A 5 that reflects a night defined by a single lapse rather than a busy shift.

Ahead of him, Rico Lewis drifted through the game at right-back, tidy but subdued. His touch and composure remain obvious, yet this was another reminder that his sharpness and instincts shine brighter when he steps into midfield lanes. A 6, and a performance that quietly underlined where his future may lie.

Defence on cruise control, leadership questions emerge

With City in control, Abdukodir Khusanov barely broke sweat. The Uzbek defender’s pace, often a weapon in recovery, simply wasn’t needed as he cruised through his 45 minutes. A straightforward 6.

Ruben Dias wore the armband and looked every inch the leader. Vocal, authoritative, and setting the line, he carried himself like the natural heir to the dressing-room hierarchy. With Bernardo Silva gone, the question now feels unavoidable: does Dias become the permanent captain? On this evidence, a solid 6 and a louder argument for that role.

On the left, Josko Gvardiol offered a different kind of intrigue. Stationed at left-back with a wealth of centre-back options behind him, he looked untroubled and secure, rarely forced into anything resembling a crisis. If Maresca wants a more conservative full-back who can step infield, Gvardiol just put his hand up. Another calm 6.

Kovacic sharp, Reijnders takes centre stage

Mateo Kovacic looked like a man who has parked last season’s injury problems. Sharp on the turn, always available, the Croatian saw plenty of the ball and knitted play together with authority. With Rodri absent, he looked every bit the midfielder the club “count on” to shoulder responsibility early in the season. A confident 7.

The standout, though, was Tijjani Reijnders. Given license to roam, he seized it. He drove into the box with those long, marauding runs that turn control into chaos for defenders, played a major role in the opener, then thumped in a superb second. Direct, purposeful, and constantly on the move. An 8, and the clearest statement of the night.

Ahead of him, Rayan Ait-Nouri stepped out of his usual left-back role and into a more advanced position. He didn’t look out of place. His opener, a crisp first-time finish, capped a performance full of intelligent movement and sharp touches in the final third. A 7 that hints at a useful tactical option.

On the right, Antoine Semenyo sparkled again. Deployed from the flank, the lively Ghanaian was all energy and invention, and his audacious flick to set up Reijnders’ goal was the kind of moment that sticks in the memory long after a pre-season game is forgotten. Another 8, another reminder of his growing confidence.

Phil Foden floated into pockets as usual, always scanning, always demanding the ball. But when the big chance came, he blazed over from a position he normally punishes. A 6 for a performance that carried his usual influence without the final flourish.

Up front, Divin Mubama continued to build his case. Two pre-season games, two goals. This one was a classic poacher’s strike, reacting fastest after the goalkeeper spilled the ball. He should have had another, somehow failing to convert with the goal gaping, but his movement and instincts still earned him a 7 and more credit in the bank.

Second-half shuffle and glimpses of the future

Marcus Bettinelli, rarely seen as third-choice goalkeeper, handled his moment with calm assurance. He came for a high cross under pressure and claimed it cleanly, a small but telling action in a game that didn’t test him much. A steady 6.

Vitor Reis reacted sharply to snuff out a dangerous break, racing back to make a crucial block as the K-League XI threatened. Max Alleyne did something similar, reading the game well to step across and deny an opponent. Both young defenders earned solid 6s and the quiet satisfaction of jobs done properly.

Savinho, so bright against Inter, couldn’t find the same spark here. The touches were neat, but the impact wasn’t there. A flat 6 on a night when the game drifted past him.

Nico Gonzalez kept showing for the ball, dropping in and offering himself as a link in midfield. With Rodri missing, these minutes matter; he will hope this steady 6 is a step toward a more regular role.

Stephen Mfuni banked more time at left-back, the England youth international easing through his minutes with composure. Another 6, another small step in his development.

Matheus Nunes, back from World Cup duty with Portugal, slotted into his now-familiar right-back role. It still feels like a compromise for a natural midfielder, but he handled it cleanly enough for a 6.

Omar Marmoush, also returning from the World Cup with Egypt, had chances but no finish. A header went off target, and two other efforts were beaten away by the goalkeeper. The movement was there, the precision was not. A 6 that could easily have been more.

Jaden Heskey’s appearance carried a different kind of intrigue. With his brother Reigan leaving the club this summer, the question now hangs over Jaden’s own future. On the pitch, he delivered a tidy, unspectacular 6.

Claudio Echeverri struggled to impose himself after coming on in the second half. Little of note, little to criticise. Another 6.

Then came Jeremy Monga, the £10m teenager making his first City appearance since arriving from Leicester. The excitement around him is real, and he offered a glimpse of why, even if the big moment didn’t stand. He was unfortunate to see a goal disallowed, but his willingness to get into those positions will encourage the coaching staff. A 6, with the promise of much more to come.

Several youngsters remained unused on the bench — Jack Wint, Max Chabot, Kaden Braithwaite, Matty Henderson-Hall, Divine Mukasa, Xavier Parker, Floyd Samba and Mahamadou Sangare — their time still to come.

Pre-season rarely delivers definitive answers. This one, though, nudged a few stories along: Dias edging toward full leadership, Reijnders demanding a starting shirt, Mubama refusing to go away, and Monga stepping onto the stage. When the real games start, who keeps their place in the spotlight?