Manchester City suffered a major setback when their key player Kevin De Bruyne was injured at the start of the season. The Belgian was suffering from a long-term injury and needed some more time to recover. The treble winners decided to give him more time on the sidelines and brought him back after a full recovery process.
Kevin is one of the best in the business and probably the best creator in the Premier League. Manchester City were lacking a bit of cutting-edge in most of the matches. Manchester City’s dangerman has returned and is showing his worth on the field. De Bruyne has positively impacted his return and has shown his A-game in the limited game time Pep has offered him.
Let’s take a look at what this Belgian has added to the squad since his return from a lengthy injury spell.
Man City’s creative force
Whenever Kevin De Bruyne is on the field, there is a chance of regular goal-scoring opportunities. He plays as a No. 10 and likes to make use of the final third by taking some positions on the flanks as well as in the centre of the park. De Bruyne likes to drift down the right flank and likes to deliver crosses from that side.
These two visuals show the pass map of the Belgian as well as the crosses attempted by him in the last five matches in all competitions. Kevin has averaged 10.5 passes to the opposition penalty box per 90 minutes. These are big numbers for any attacker. Most of De Bruyne’s passes are directed towards the penalty spot.
The Belgian made his return in a 5-0 win over Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup. He spent 37 minutes on the field and created a goal. Kevin De Bruyne’s return to the Premier League was marked by a goal and an assist. In just 26 minutes, Kevin made a positive impact and led his side to a 3-2 win over Newcastle United.
By looking at the shot assist map we can observe that a few balls have been attempted from the right side and a few from the centre of the park. Kevin has the vision to find his teammate in tight situations and even provided an assist in Manchester City’s most recent game against Brentford.
The Belgian scored his first of the season against the Magpies. Kevin is strong with his left and right foot. He attempts shots whenever he gets space outside the opposition penalty box. Some of De Bruyne’s shots have been blocked and other shots were off target. However, the goal that was scored found the bottom corner and this shows how big a threat De Bruyne is.
Pep Guardiola will be happy with this impact and hope for more in the remainder of the season. Manchester City will be eyeing back-to-back treble wins and De Bruyne will play a key role.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
