De bruyne’s loss could be magpies’ gain

MANCHESTER City’s record without their playmaker Kevin De Bruyne should offer Newcastle United some hope ahead of tomorrow’s FA Cup quarter-final.

Belgium head coach Dominic Tedesco announced this week that he would not be calling up the midfielder for the upcoming international friendlies because he suffered a groin injury. It is not clear when this happened but it is likely to have been picked up in the draw with Liverpool on Sunday when the 32-year-old was replaced in the second half, much to his annoyance.

Discussing his decision, Tedesco said: “Yesterday I spoke to the doctor and Kevin and we decided that the risk is too great. It is our responsibility to take into account the player, but also the player’s team.

“It must make sense to call up a player. If he cannot play or train, it is our responsibility to protect him.

“It’s better to give him time to recover well at City and then have him ready for the European Championship. We can’t take any risks now, especially not with Kevin.”

His absence from the squad for the international break later this month all but confirms he will not feature against the Magpies tomorrow. Such news will be music to the ears of Newcastle fans but how much of a difference will it make to their chances?

This season De Bruyne has not featured in 28 matches in the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup.

Of those matches, the Blues have won 19 and drawn four of them – this includes winning all seven fixtures in Europe. However, there is room for comfort when you look at the matches he has played. City have not lost in the Premier League this season when the Belgian has been on the pitch and have drawn only two of those matches in the top flight.

It will also be reassuring to note one of City’s four losses without De Bruyne on the pitch came against Newcastle earlier this year at St James’ Park in the Carabao Cup. Eddie Howe’s men kept a clean sheet against a team that had plenty of first-team players but also missed Erling Haaland.

Newcastle will be missing Nick Pope and Joelinton this weekend, who featured against City that night. But it cannot be underestimated how vital De Bruyne is to his team and evidence shows the Blues are weaker without him. How much weaker remains to be seen.