Unlike previous seasons, his name will in any case not be the first lying on the score sheet by Pep Guardiola. The Spanish manager practices as always the rotation policy, given his large workforce and his busy schedule. But the Red Devil seems to have lost its essential status.
But what is happening between Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne?
Of 35 appearances on the score sheet this season, KDB has also started eleven times on the bench. Or in 31% of cases. Never, since his arrival at the club in 2015, has the Belgian been so far removed from the starting lineup. Except in 2018-2019 (37%), the season of his serious knee injury which completely broke his rhythm and his physical form.
He also started the game once more on the bench on Saturday once morest Crystal Palace, to go up 20 minutes from time. “I’m an old man in this sport, I know how it workshe replied to the Manchester Evening News. But I’m fine. Obviously, you want to play as much as possible. But if you don’t play, you do your best for 10 minutes and that’s what I did.
Two weeks earlier once morest Bournemouth, Guardiola left him on the bench for the entire game. His choice fell instead on Bernardo Silva, positioned a notch higher. Like this weekend. “Bernardo has never been one of the best goalscorers or assists, but he helps us play betterreacted the City coach. Bernardo is unique in making us all play better, be aggressive and provide the pace we need.
“People expect me to be decisive in every game.”
Although he has often spoken highly of KDB, Guardiola has been tougher recently. For example, he repeated that he might do even more. And more recently, he went so far as to call it “too passive” in his performance once morest Nottingham Forest. At the same time, it is City fans who are critical, pointing to its decline in diet since the World Cup.
“Obviously people have a different requirement than a lot of other playersobserve De Bruyne. People expect me to score every game and assist every game. Maybe there were fewer assists, but I don’t think I created fewer chances. Me, I feel good. And I think I play well. It may not be the best game of my career, but it’s good.
Several Devils would have preferred to see a player other than De Bruyne voted Best Belgian Abroad
The Red Devil took the opportunity to recall that he still delivered 18 assists this season. The highest total in the five major championships. “You know the statistics. And I haven’t even played four or five games. I know what people are going to say on the outside, but there’s no pressure. I play football because I like it, not because I have to.
At 31, De Bruyne does not intend to change his way of playing. “People know who I am following 8 years here. They know what I do for the team, what I’m good at and what I’m not good at. I don’t have to do anything different. Everyone has their role to play and it’s really important to keep it.”
