On several recent occasions, Pep Guardiola has expressed his views on the issue of Kevin De Bruyne.
Listen, if we don't stick together, Kevin won't solve the problems we're facing," he said after returning and providing an assist in the FA Cup at the Belgian possession midfielder a week ago.
Kevin helped us with his talent, but we need players like Ruben Dias and Josco Guardiol to defend high and do a lot of the things we're improving. ”
Asked about De Bruyne's possible return late last year, Pep Guardiola made a similar point ahead of City's win away at Everton.
Kevin is so important, just like Elan Haran," he said. "I would say those two types of players won't help you play well, but these two guys can help you win games. ”
Infrequent followers of Pep Guardiola can be confused. Essentially, De Brune's quality is unquestionable, but unless City step up in other ways, the 32-year-old's talent may not matter by the end of the season.
Pep Guardiola expressed the same sentiment in the opposite way at the beginning of last year: "Bernardo Silva has never been at the top of the list in terms of goals or assists, but he has helped us play better. ”
They need more Bernardo, but unfortunately for them he won't be back because Ilkay Guindogan moved to Barcelona last summer. As Pep Guardiola has said, if they can "stick together", then De Brune's talent will really come into play.
Recall the last time Manchester City didn't win the Premier League, in 2019-20; Kevin De Bruyne set a record of 20 assists (he still insists he was deprived of one against Arsenal), but that didn't solve his team's problems back then.
Back then, they were often too open on the counter-attack. The team has balance problems and a weak defensive line. Now it's a bit like, but worse.
So that's what Guardiola meant when he said De Bruyne could help Manchester City win the game but not "solve" the problems they were facing; The defence needs to be strengthened and the midfield needs to control the game better.
In a thrilling match against Newcastle United, Manchester City showcased all parts of this equation.
We were good enough to be 5-0 up but we were 2-1 down," said an anonymous City source.
They were excellent overall, allowing only three counter-attacks at St James' Park, which was an impressive result. The problem is – and this argument doesn't take into account – they conceded from two of the counter-attacks, which lasted about two minutes. This season they have found their way to putting themselves in the way and ruining some good performances, and that could happen again.
But it's a different story when the players at the start and the players at the end of the game show everything coming together perfectly.
Newcastle were pleased with their two goals, which played a role to some extent, and their legs were tired, but City showed intensity, intelligence, organisation and grit to dominate the home field.
Pep Guardiola stressed that one point that City particularly need in a game like at St James' Park is that Dias and Guardiol organise a line to push the ball into the opposition's third zone – something that was evident in the second half but not in the opening 45 minutes.
After mastering the situation in the second half, the backline was completely immersed – Kyle Walker, who struggled to score goals for Newcastle but was brilliant afterwards – Rodri directed the game with his own artistic style and used his strength to weave through the defence, Phil Foden tied everything together in midfield, their forward line forced Newcastle to make mistakes at the back and De Brune's talent was on display.
**Fan Incentive Plan Within minutes of coming on as a substitute, he assisted Julián Álvarez with a trademark low cross from the right, but like many other players, his shot was blocked. So De Bruyne simply solved the problem on his own: Rodri again played an important role, created space and found him, De Bruyne did something else: this time, he just passed the ball to the baseline. When the fourth** indicated that the three minutes of stoppage time were coming to an end, City felt that time was running out – and after the celebration, Bernardo held up 10 fingers to indicate that he thought extra time should be added – but De Brune reappeared, dribbling the ball in a way that no other City player could do, and a rarity in world football, to find 20-year-old Oscar Bob, who had some things to do to score. Manchester City may have held out for a good performance in the eastern part of the north, and rightly so, but De Brune secured their victory. They've never been behind the situation and now they're not perfect, but it feels like City are getting better and better in other areas, which fits in well with De Bruyne's return.