Kevin de Bruyne: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola ‘so happy’ midfielder is back
Kevin De Bruyne was replaced by Rico Lewis 16 minutes after the end of the Manchester City game and left the field. 3-0 win over Nottingham ForestGuardiola grabbed the Belgian and pulled him into his arms.
It’s like a father showing love to his son when he does a great job.
De Bruyne smiled with satisfaction and continued towards the top of the small terrace of the Manchester City bench.
A day earlier, Guardiola mocked claims from Sky Sports duo Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville that there was some kind of rift between the manager and his star player.
Why on earth, Guardiola countered, would he leave out a man capable of producing unparalleled moments, even among his star-studded squad?
De Bruyne finally returned to the pitch and made his first Premier League start since August, proving Guardiola meant what he meant.
On a night when Guardiola admitted City must win, the Belgian’s header set up Bernardo Silva’s eighth-minute opener to finally end a seven-game winless run and close the gap on leaders Liverpool Narrowed down to 9 points.
De Bruyne’s subsequent goal was a beauty, as he retreated from Jeremy Doku and his compatriot made a run with the ball, reaching enough space to collect a short pass and fire his shot into the corner.
De Bruyne was given extra space thanks to the manager’s decision to play Jack Grealish alongside him in the centre, and he planned in his usual way. He had some big roles as opportunities came and went.
De Bruyne played the full 74 minutes, his longest game since playing 90 minutes against Brentford on September 14. He was left on the bench when he was declared man of the match, a decision that was warmly welcomed by City supporters.
“I’m happy he’s back,” Guardiola said. “He played 75 minutes and was outstanding.
“He deserves the best because he is a lovely man who has played a very important role since he has been here so many years.”
With De Bruyne starting, Manchester City remain unbeaten in their past 31 Premier League games. He was involved in 25 goals in these games (9 goals, 16 assists).
De Bruyne said: “There was never any problem between me and Pep. He knew I was struggling. It was painful and uncomfortable.
“Hopefully I can get back into my body without too much pain and be fine.”
However, it’s a bit like the victory itself – Manuel Akanji is injured and the Swiss defender may not be available for the weekend’s game against Crystal Palace, while Nathan Ake has a hamstring problem and he was due to He has already lost five weeks of the season with a similar injury. Guardiola said it “didn’t look good” and it left him “sad” for the Dutchman – a warning as the Manchester City boss assesses De Bruyne’s contribution.
“He fought a lot and was prepared,” he said. “He has regained his fitness. His minutes at Anfield were very good.
“Last season he was out for several months and this season too. We’ll see how he recovers from a long-term injury and how he feels after three days.”
De Bruyne hit four or more shots and created four or more chances for the third time in the Premier League this season.
Only Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has started more games this season despite starting just five Premier League games.
Guardiola must be worried that if he pushes De Bruyne too far, too fast, his body will fail him.
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards told BBC Match of the Day: “He’s a top player and one of the best we’ve ever seen. He always finds space on the pitch.”
“He has been integral to Manchester City’s success over the years,” added former City manager Stuart Pearce on Amazon Prime.
“He is the first-choice player to light up the excitement with Haaland’s passes. He creates goals, he scores goals.
“If you were to pick one player over the last eight or nine years, De Bruyne would almost be right up there.”
It’s a delicate balance as his side remain nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and out of the Champions League top eight ahead of next week’s trip to Italy and a game against Juventus, after which City will only have January. of the first stage of the tournament was left to ensure they qualified for the last 16 without having to be bothered by the play-offs in February.
However, like his team, De Bruyne’s recovery has to start somewhere.
