Just when it felt like the sky was clearing for Oscar Bobb, the clouds have rolled back in.
Manchester City will head into this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest without the dazzling young Norwegian, who’s picked up a minor hamstring injury — the latest twist in what’s been a cruel, stop-start season for the rising star.
For City fans, this one stings.
Bobb lit up pre-season and looked set to announce himself as the next gem off Pep’s conveyor belt. His vision, touch, and intelligence on the ball turned heads — and when he came off the bench to tee up Bernardo Silva in the Community Shield at Wembley, we all felt it. This kid is special.
With Julian Alvarez’s departure and more minutes potentially up for grabs behind Haaland, everything seemed lined up for Bobb to step into the spotlight. Even Pep hinted at a big campaign ahead for the 20-year-old.
Then came the heartbreak.
Just a week after that Wembley cameo, Bobb fractured his leg — and everything changed. A long road to recovery followed. A delayed comeback. Two substitute appearances, flashes of promise, and now… another setback. Another pause. Another test.
This time it’s a minor hamstring issue — not serious, thankfully — but enough to rule him out of our trip back to Wembley. Norway boss Stale Solbakken confirmed the injury, calling it “minor” while City have chosen to stay tight-lipped for now. Understandable. Disappointing all the same.
There’s hope Bobb will be back before the end of the season, and we’ll need him. Depth matters more than ever in the business end of the campaign, especially as we chase silverware on multiple fronts.
But more than that — we just want to see the lad back doing what he does best. Smiling, dribbling, creating. Showing the City faithful why Pep was so excited back in July.