Kevin De Bruyne has finally returned to Premier League action. After being unused in his fixture against Sheffield United, and making a cameo against Huddersfield Town in the FA Cup, Pep Guardiola brought the Belgian playmaker on with 22 minutes to go to salvage a point against a tough Newcastle United side.
And what a performance it was. His strike from the edge of the box found its way past Martin Dubravka to equalize against the Magpies before his stoppage-time cross found youngster Oscar Bobb, who expertly rounded Dubravka to give the Sky Blues a 3-2 lead, and an important victory.
One goal, one assist, and three chances created in 22 minutes showed just how much Guardiola's squad has missed De Bruyne. The substitution dismantled Eddie Howe's side and put them within two points of league leaders Liverpool. And I would imagine this gap is only going to get smaller.
With his return, just how crucial has De Bruyne been in City's past, and just how important can he be in their title bid this season?
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Captivating City and Kevin make history in 2023, but will there be more in '24?
Manchester City became the first English team since Manchester United's 1998/99 squad to win the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the Champions League, more commonly known as "the Treble."
During the Premier League season, De Bruyne made 32 appearances in his Sky Blue shirt, scoring seven and assisting 16, forming a ruthless partnership with star striker Erling Haaland. His best performance, where he racked up one goal, one assist, and 16 progressive passes to defeat Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool 4-1, just showed how impressive the Belgian could be under pressure.
This meant he also started in both the Champions League and FA Cup final, showing how much faith Guardiola has in the midfielder. Albeit getting injured in the final against Inter, De Bruyne earned three medals that he can add to his growing collection since being at the Sky Blues.
And it's not just been the medals either. When compared to other top 5 leagues in the last year, it's clear to see why De Bruyne has continued to be ranked amongst one of the best creative midfielders in the world.
According to FBRef, De Bruyne ranks in the 99th percentile for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.44), assists per 90 (0.63), and shot-creating actions per 90 (6.01). Also ranking in the 99th percentile for expected assisted goals, and progressive passes received, these metrics show how orchestrating he has been in a dominating City side.
It's worth noting that the numbers above are compared to other midfielders in the top five European leagues, including La Liga, Serie A, and the Bundesliga, highlighting the standard of player the Belgian has been compared against.
Even though he has missed all games between August 11th and December 30th, 2023, De Bruyne's impact for City across 2023 has been appreciated by many people and many bodies, hence his inclusion in this year's FIFA FIFPRO Men's World XI, alongside five of his teammates.
2023 has been historical for De Bruyne and the Citizens, and many fans will be hoping that the midfielder's return will also bring back their competitive edge into 2024. So, how can De Bruyne help his Man City side to the title, and maybe more trophies, during the rest of this season?
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Can De Bruyne clutch up when required for the rest of the season?
Man City still have three shots at silverware this season, as they have progressed to round four of the FA Cup, as well as awaiting a Round of 16 clash against Copenhagen in the Champions League.
With the creative mastermind of De Bruyne returning, they now have a spare bullet in the chamber to help them with their task of potentially repeating the treble-winning season of last, becoming the first team in English football history to do so.
But whether De Bruyne can replicate his performance against Newcastle around twenty times is unlikely, so we must assess how well he might play to determine the impact he'll have on the rest of the Citizens season.
In previous seasons, De Bruyne's contributions have helped guide City to numerous titles since his acquisition from Wolfsburg in 2015, including 5 Premier League titles. In fact, in line with his statistical numbers from before, the Belgian has provided a phenomenal amount of goals and assists since his signing.
Using FBRef again to compare his stats, he's provided 166 combined goals and assists in the Premier League since his arrival, with only four of these being penalties. Ironically, his best season was the 2019-20 season, where he scored 13 and provided 20 goals as the Sky Blues fell 2nd in the league.
Additionally, since his nine seasons with Man City, he's managed an average of 0.3 non-penalty goals per 90, and 0.49 assists per 90. Performing above his expected metric of 0.23 expected non-penalty goals and 0.47 expected assists per 90, this shows the unbelievable standard De Bruyne has performed at during his time at the Etihad. Embed from Getty Images
It is worth noting that, in the 2018-19 season, De Bruyne suffered two major ligament injuries that saw him miss a large chunk of the season. His minutes reduced to just 975 across the season, and he only managed two goals and two assists respectively. On the other hand, the consistency across his other seasons suggests this may have been an anomaly in his performance levels.
The numbers highlight that De Bruyne will be able to provide when needed for the Citizens. He's been consistent enough every minute he plays to be the man that City can rely on for creativity and contributions, and esteemed manager Guardiola agrees.
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Pep "needs" players like Kevin De Bruyne in title challenge
In his post-match press conference, Guardiola praised De Bruyne for his instant impact against Newcastle and rallied his troops ahead of a tough second half to the season.
When asked how much of a lift De Bruyne would give his City side, Guardiola revealed how much of a benefit the Belgian architect would give them ahead of the season.
He said, "For the way we play, I'm going to be honest with you, the way we play is quite similar without him. But to win games, we need types of players like Kevin.
"The vision, the quality, the final third, we see something special. That is not tactics, it's talent, individual. And for Kevin, what can I say?
"Everybody knows him. Many years here, nine years here," he added, with a shrug.
It seems as if Guardiola agrees that De Bruyne can add that impact that Man City has been looking for since the injuries to both the Belgian and Haaland, and is praising the qualities that De Bruyne can bring back to the team in the upcoming fixtures.
It is not guaranteed that the contributions will immediately start flowing again, but one thing is for certain. the return of De Bruyne should elevate the Citizens season to the next level, as they look to battle for an eighth Premier League title.
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When can Kevin De Bruyne continue his return to the City starting eleven?
De Bruyne can help guide City to another trophy when they travel to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the FA Cup. The game takes place at 8pm GMT, on Friday 26 January.
