Ajibade Olusesan 
Manchester City fans have a new name to cheer — Tijjani Reijnders. After a stunning Premier League debut against Wolves, the Dutch midfielder is already making waves and could be the key player when City face Tottenham Hotspur in a massive clash at the Etihad today.
Reijnders was at the heart of everything in City’s 4-0 win over Wolves. He helped create the first goal, scored the second, assisted the third, and played a big role in the fourth. And he did it all with calm confidence, as if he’d been playing in England’s top league for years.
Only Sergio Aguero has managed to both score and assist on his Manchester City debut, and that was way back in 2011. But Reijnders, at 27, has made his mark right away — showing the kind of smooth passing, clever movement, and sharp decision-making that’s rare even at this level.
City fans worried about life without Kevin De Bruyne might be breathing easier now. Reijnders looks like a perfect fit — a player who sees the game one step ahead. He faked out defenders, danced past tackles, and delivered perfect passes, including a scooped ball that led to Erling Haaland’s goal.
He also showed that he can finish with composure, calmly placing a shot into the corner from distance. That’s not something he always had — he admitted that he worked on staying calm in front of goal after a frustrating first season at AC Milan. However, it is clear that the hard work has paid off.
What makes his debut even more impressive is that he did it at Molineux — a tough place to play against a Wolves team known for their pressing. But Reijnders looked completely at ease, shrugging off pressure and finding space like a seasoned Premier League star.
“What an outstanding game he had! When you just look at the profile of a player and you think: he scores with his left foot, his pass is with his right foot over the top for Rico Lewis, his running power, forward and back, and you start thinking, that looks like one hell of a player! There are very few players you see that can score a goal like that with their left foot, a pass with the right foot, the running power forward and the ability to drive into that space,” Premier League great, Gary Neville, said of the midfielder’s after quality, breaking down his masterful showing against Wolves, insisting that it is easy to see why one would liken the Dutch’s game to that of Yaya Toure.
Tottenham will need to be very careful. If Reijnders controls the game like he did against Wolves, Spurs could be in trouble. He links up smoothly with young attackers like Oscar Bobb and experienced stars like Haaland, giving City a deadly mix of power, pace, and precision.
This weekend’s clash at the Etihad is a big one. Tottenham have their own attacking threats, but City’s midfield — with Reijnders pulling the strings — could prove to be the difference.
With Guardiola looking to refresh his squad and return to full dominance, Reijnders might just be the perfect piece in the puzzle. And if his debut is anything to go by, Tottenham might be the next team to suffer at his feet.
