Nico O’Reilly: Will the Manchester City player make the England left-back position his own?

With all the focus on England’s competition for attacking places, Nico O’Reilly’s international debut may have slipped under the radar.

The 20-year-old – who made his first Premier League start in April – received his first call-up in October and was handed a debut by Thomas Tuchel in Thursday’s win over Serbia at Wembley.

Manchester City’s young left-back is the sixth player to earn a debut for Tuchel, after Dan Byrne, Trevo Chalupa, Elliot Anderson, Djid Spence and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

O’Reilly was chosen in place of Spence and Lewis-Skelly but did not look out of place alongside Ezri Konsa, John Stones and Reece James in defence.

“I’m absolutely thrilled,” O’Reilly told BBC Radio 5 Live after the match. “Tonight was a very special night, on my debut. A dream come true for me and my family.

“My mum, my stepdad, my sister, to see me play here at Wembley is a crazy feeling.”

O’Reilly’s rise has been rapid for club and country, with his England debut coming on the heels of an impressive display as Manchester City beat defending champions Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

In that match, he and Jeremy Doku formed a powerful partnership down the left flank that the Reds were unable to cope with.

However, O’Reilly has no intention of standing still, as he has his eyes firmly set on securing a place in Tuchel’s World Cup squad.

He added: “It is a goal for me to try to reach the World Cup.”

He added: “There is great competition, but I must continue to work hard, match after match, day after day.”