Oscar blow...but City can find solutions to replace young star

IT genuinely couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

- JOE BRAY

Oscar Bobb is universally loved in the City dressing room and throughout the club, and is always generous with his time to the media - despite being one of the most inexperienced members of the squad.

The reaction to his devastating injury on Wednesday was the same from all camps: everybody is just gutted for the youngster.

Not just because he is a nice lad.

But because over the last month he has shown himself to be the exceptional footballer his coaches always saw from the moment he moved to Manchester.

Two goals and four assists in five pre-season games saw him take his opportunity by the scruff of the neck, take the pen out of Pep Guardiola's hand, and write his name at the top of the manager's team sheet against Chelsea. His turn and cross for Bernardo Silva against United at Wembley underlined his summer form and made the idea of anyone else starting on the right this weekend unthinkable.

Bernardo raved about Bobb in the Wembley tunnel after the game.