Why I love this blossoming De Bruyne-Foden bromance

THE problem for Chelsea today is that Manchester City have so many ways to kill their chance of escaping the Etihad Stadium with a result. Death by a thousand passes? Not a problem. Direct into Erling Haaland? Just as lethal, as he showed in shrugging off a top young defender in Jarrad Branthwaite to score against Everton last week. Equally as worrying for Chelsea is the blossoming partnership between Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden. For a long time, I’ve thought De Bruyne has a picture book in his mind that only he can understand. Passes to be played. Movements to be made. Ways in which even the most determined defence can be unlocked. But now, it feels as if Foden has gained access to that same artistic album and City are using that to their advantage. The team who faced Copenhagen in the Champions League is getting close to their best XI. Key to that victory was how John Stones moved from defence to midfield to sit alongside Rodri, prompting Bernardo Silva to push further up the pitch. That allowed De Bruyne to drift towards the right-hand side so he could link up with Foden. For their first goal, the Englishman teed up the Belgian to score. For their third, De Bruyne repaid the compliment with a reverse pass which completed a onetwo for Foden to seal the 3-1 win. If Foden is selected today, it would be his 13th successive start for City — his longest run for the club — and the rhythm he has found is leading their title charge. Chelsea are rivalling City in the amount of ball possession they have — but not in what they do with it, and Mauricio Pochettino is still searching for the right formula. One player who he needs to use at No 10 — and who they should not consider selling this summer — is Conor Gallagher. He is a one-man army. He will press and press and press. He will drop back into midfield to do his defensive duties. Now he is making the right runs to get himself goals, his brace against Crystal Palace proving decisive in Chelsea’s 3-1 win on Monday. I’d be amazed if another player covers as much ground as Gallagher today. Pochettino may look to surround him with speed merchants to hurt City on the counter-attack.