Man City star slammed again on international duty, Pep Guardiola given clear solution

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It has not been a straightforward international break for Manchester City midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and his disjointed Netherlands side.

Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands dominated against Poland on Thursday but were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw thanks to a thunderbolt from Aston Villa full-back Matty Cash.

On Sunday, they needed a second-half winner from Memphis Depay to beat Lithuania after throwing away a two-goal lead in the first half. The Dutch are top of Group G in World Cup qualifying, level with Poland having played one game fewer.

In two games, Manchester City summer signing Reijnders has started both at number ten but been criticised by Dutch media for his performances and could hand Koeman a midfield headache ahead of the October international break.

Pep Guardiola called him incredible, but may be forced into Tijjani Reijnders rethink at Manchester City

Manchester City signed Tijjani Reijnders at the start of the summer from AC Milan, with the Dutchman playing three times at the Club World Cup. In the Premier League, he made a perfect debut with a goal and assist at Wolves, starting the following two defeats to Tottenham and Brighton.

After Reijnders scored twice in City’s only friendly at Palermo, Pep Guardiola said: “We knew that he is a special player arriving into the box, he loves to do that.

“He can play as a holding midfielder but he loves to arrive to the box to help our strikers like Erling [Haaland] and Omar [Marmoush] and anyone who plays there.”

After his Wolves exploits, Guardiola went further, saying: He is an incredible, big signing for us. His work ethic, a holding midfielder occupies a lot of spaces and then after the control with the ball and his movements. And then he is trying to get in behind and score – really pleased.”

Pep Guardiola has already hinted at his plan for Tijjani Reijnders at Manchester City

Last week, Dutch media called Tijjani Reijnders ‘sloppy’ against Poland, and they were more critical in his 37-touch display against Lithuania.

Voetbal Primeur bemoaned that Reijnders couldn’t take his City form to the national camp. Football Oranje said it was his worst performance in a Netherlands shirt of his 24 caps.

However, Guardiola has previously said he is ‘a key signing for Manchester City in the coming years; he is one of the best signings in the club’s history.’

So if Guardiola has talked up Reijnders’ holding midfield abilities, with the pace to get forward and arrive late in the box, perhaps that balance is the way to get the best out of him rather than the number ten role he struggled in for the Netherlands.