Man City vs Lyon: Liverpool target Houssem Aouar puts on masterclass

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City controls the ball under pressure from Houssem Aouar of Lyon during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between Manchester City and Olympique Lyonnais at Etihad Stadium on September 19, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 19: Ilkay Gundogan of Manchester City controls the ball under pressure from Houssem Aouar of Lyon during the Group F match of the UEFA Champions League between Manchester City and Olympique Lyonnais at Etihad Stadium on September 19, 2018 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Liverpool transfer target Houssem Aouar put on a masterclass for Lyon as they drew 2-2 with Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

The Reds have been keeping tabs on Aouar’s progression over the past 12 months, wrote football.london, and will be encouraged by his excellent showing against City.

Pep Guardiola’s side came from behind twice to earn a point after Maxwel Cornet scored a double, but it was the way in which Aouar run the midfield alongside Tanguy NDombele that really caught the eye.

The starlet put on a complete performance as he made five tackles, three clearances, three dribbles, two interceptions and completed 90% of his passes.

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If it wasn’t for Cornet’s double or former Manchester United man Memphis Depay’s two assists, the 20-year-old would have been the most highly rated Lyon player on the pitch.

City put out a strong side for their second-last Champions League group game, but the French outfit nearly succeeded in causing an upset by attacking Guardiola’s team in a way few Premier League sides have.

And Aouar played a bit part in that, and now has five league goals and one assist in 14 appearances. Last season was the Frenchman’s breakthrough and he played 31 Ligue 1 games with five assists and six goals.

Liverpool have had a tough time of getting players away from Lyon in the past, and the Nabil Fekir fiasco shows how hard the club are to negotiate with. They now have a number of players in form, who would go for big money.

Depay is resurrecting his career following that United flop, NDombele is another starlet who is a key cog in their machine and Fekir continues to prove his worth to the whole world.

Aouar has had an incredibly promising season-and-a-half at the highest level, and if he continues like this it won’t be long before Liverpool have a battle on their hands.