CITY SPECIAL ‘Demons’ returned when Kev rattled bar

KEVIN de Bruyne’s crucial miss against Chelsea in December brought back City’s ‘demons’ from last season, according to Gary Neville.

Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead at the Etihad through a Gary Cahill own goal before half-time and had a host of chances to add to their lead after the break.

De Bruyne came closest hitting the crossbar inside the six-yard box after connecting with Jesus Navas’ teasing delivery before the hour mark.

Chelsea equalised four minutes later, through Diego Costa, before Willian and Eden Hazard fired Antonio Conte’s side to a eighth-straight league win.

A victory would have put City within a point of Chelsea at the top of the table and Neville feels it was a turning point in Guardiola’s season.

“There was a point in that game. The moment for City to go 2-0 up. De Bruyne – what a miss,” he said.

“City were fantastic in that first half. But in this first 20 minutes of the second half, I saw one of the best centre-forward displays I’ve seen in the Premier League from Diego Costa. He was unplayable.

“The change around within seconds of that De Bruyne miss to Chelsea scoring and then winning 3-1 – that was the day that not only gave Chelsea the confidence they can win big games away, but it damaged City badly.

“The demons of City in the previous season came back, haunted them and Chelsea went on that run from there.

“That was the most impressive moment and that was a big moment, De Bruyne’s miss.” PABLO Zabaleta admits it will be ‘tough’ if he has to play against City in the future.

The Blues legend is weighing up offers from Italy and Spain as well as other Premier League clubs, with West Ham thought to be in pole position to land his signing.

He is expected to be in a City squad for the last time as they go to Watford on Sunday, seeking the point that will secure Champions League qualification for the seventh successive season.

But Zabaleta could return in someone else’s colours, and it is not a prospect he wants to contemplate.

“I have got offers from different countries, but I will try to take the best one for myself and my family,” he said.

“It will be tough not to play for this shirt any more but I think it is the right thing to do. It is time to move on. I would not be the first player to leave a club after so many years and then come back in a different shirt for another club.

“I think everyone understands I have enjoyed some of my best football at this club.

“Of course, I am not getting younger now and I will try to play a couple more years.

“Wherever I go I will try to do it with the same commitment and passion that I have done during my whole career.

“That is what football is all about. It is what we have to do as players.

“Of course, if one day I come back to play against City it would be tough, but you have to accept it.”

Zabaleta struggled to contain his emotions at times during a tearstained farewell match against West Brom on Tuesday.

And he afterwards admitted that it had been hard to focus on the task in hand, with vital points at stake, with the farewell ceremony looming at the end of the game. “It was a night for me to enjoy,” he said. “The last two days had been really hard. “I had been struggling to sleep properly because I had been thinking about it. “You never realise how tough those moments are when you have to say goodbye to everyone. “Now we have a training session. We have to prepare for the game against Watford in the same way because we need a result. “Then we can enjoy the holidays.” He says his decision on his next destination will only be taken when he has finished the job with City. “I cannot decide here because there are still a few more days to enjoy here as a Manchester City player. “There is still one more game to go at the end of the season. “We have to get a result against Watford to try and secure that third position for the Champions League spot next season – then we will see what happens.” Pablo Zabaleta