City's Pre-Season Test Against K-League XI Raises Key Questions
Pre-season nights rarely define a campaign, but they do ask sharp questions. This one, against a lively K-League XI, did exactly that for a City side still shaking off the rust and testing new ideas.
Donnarumma’s quiet warning
Gianluigi Donnarumma barely broke sweat. One shot of real consequence, one ball fished out of his net. Beaten at his near post for the K-League XI equaliser, it was the kind of moment goalkeepers loathe in any context, friendly or not. Beyond that, he was a spectator. A 5 says as much about his inactivity as his error.
Ahead of him, the back line enjoyed a largely untroubled workout. Rico Lewis, stationed at right-back, played within himself. Neat, tidy, but without the same influence he exerts when he steps into midfield lanes and dictates play. His 6 felt like a reminder: his future, and his ceiling, lie further up the pitch.
Abdukodir Khusanov barely had to open his stride. With City in control, the Uzbek defender’s pace was a luxury rather than a necessity. He cruised through his 45 minutes, untested, a calm 6 on a night that asked little of him.
Ruben Dias, though, carried a different kind of weight. The armband sat naturally on his arm, his presence unmistakable. He organised, cajoled, and set the tone at the back. With Bernardo Silva gone, the question now lingers: does this become a permanent promotion? His 6 was functional, but the symbolism of his role was far more striking.
On the left, Josko Gvardiol offered a glimpse of a possible new reality. With Maresca stacked with central defenders, the Croatian’s deployment at left-back felt deliberate rather than experimental. He was rarely tested, rarely stretched, yet looked assured. Another 6, but the tactical hint was louder than the rating.
Midfield drive and a standout performer
In midfield, the story sharpened. Mateo Kovacic looked like a man who has parked last season’s injury problems. Sharp on the turn, always available, he saw a lot of the ball and knitted play together with purpose. With Rodri absent, he looked every inch the senior figure he recently claimed the club “count on” this season. A confident 7.
Beside him, Tijjani Reijnders seized the stage. Given license to roam, he treated the pitch like his own canvas. He drove into the box with conviction, repeatedly breaking lines and unsettling the K-League defence. His fingerprints were all over the opening goal, and his second was a beauty – a rasping finish that underlined his threat from deep. An emphatic 8, and the standout outfield display.
Rayan Ait-Nouri provided another intriguing wrinkle. Pushed higher up the pitch from his usual left-back berth, he responded with a forward’s instinct. His first-time finish to break the deadlock was clean and composed, the product of clever movement and sharp technique. A 7 reflected both his goal and his adaptability.
Phil Foden drifted into pockets as he always does, constantly scanning, constantly demanding the ball. Yet the final touch deserted him when it mattered. He blazed over from a very presentable chance, a moment that summed up a 6-out-of-10 outing: involved, influential in shape, but lacking the decisive edge.
Semenyo sparkles, Mubama poaches
On the right, Antoine Semenyo brought energy and invention. Operating from a wide starting position, the Ghanaian tormented defenders with his direct running and quick feet. The highlight came with an audacious flick that teed up Reijnders’ goal, a flash of pure confidence. Another 8, and another reminder that he is forcing his name into the conversation.
Divin Mubama continued to quietly build his case. Two pre-season games, two goals. This one was a poacher’s strike, reacting fastest when the goalkeeper spilled the ball. He should have had another, somehow failing to convert with the goal gaping, but his nose for danger was obvious. A lively 7 and more credit in the bank.
Second-half shuffle and auditions
The second half brought changes and with them, auditions.
Marcus Bettinelli, usually watching from the shadows as third-choice goalkeeper, stepped in and looked composed. He dealt calmly with a high cross, claiming under pressure and showing no nerves. A solid 6.
Vitor Reis reacted sharply to snuff out a dangerous break, tracking back to make a crucial block just as the K-League XI threatened to break free. It was a single moment, but a telling one. He, like Max Alleyne, who read the game well to shut down another attack, earned steady 6s from limited but competent cameos.
Savinho, so electric against Inter, couldn’t quite catch fire this time. The spark never fully lit, his influence muted. A 6 that will frustrate him more than anyone else.
Nico Gonzalez kept offering himself, dropping in, showing for passes, trying to take responsibility in Rodri’s absence. He moved the ball sensibly, if unspectacularly. Another 6, another player eyeing a bigger role when the real games begin.
Stephen Mfuni banked more minutes at left-back, valuable experience for the England youth international. He did little wrong, little spectacular, and walked away with a 6 that represents steady progression rather than a breakthrough.
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 with his usual athleticism. A functional 6.
Omar Marmoush, fresh from his own World Cup with Egypt, found chances but not the finish. A header went off target, two other efforts were repelled by the goalkeeper. The movement was there, the execution wasn’t. Another 6.
Jaden Heskey’s appearance carried a different kind of intrigue. With his brother Reigan leaving the club this summer, his own future hangs in the balance. On the pitch, he offered honest work for his 6; off it, the question remains: does he stay, or does he follow his brother out?
Claudio Echeverri struggled to impose himself after coming on. The Argentine saw little of note fall his way and finished with a quiet 6.
Jeremy Monga, the £10m teenager from Leicester, finally stepped onto the stage in City colours. His first appearance brought flashes of what he might become, and one moment that should have been his. He found the net, only to see the goal ruled out. The excitement around him will only grow, even if the scoreline didn’t. A 6, with the promise of much more.
The unused bench – Jack Wint, Max Chabot, Kaden Braithwaite, Matty Henderson-Hall, Divine Mukasa, Xavier Parker, Floyd Samba, Mahamadou Sangare – watched on, knowing their own chances will come in this long pre-season.
The result will fade. The questions it posed will not. Who wears the armband permanently? Can Reijnders and Semenyo carry this form into competitive fire? And which of these youngsters will still be here when the real pressure starts to bite?
