SCOUTING REPOR

Bournemouth v Manchester City

Mind the gap, or how De Bruyne makes Manchester City tick

Manchester City won 98 points last season without their best individual player and the early signs of Kevin De Bruyne’s return from injury suggest that Pep Guardiola’s side really will be even better this time around.

De Bruyne has already provided three assists in two Premier League games this season and created 12 chances – four more than any other player – providing a cutting edge to City’s forward play.

As one of the “floating eights” in Guardiola’s 4-3-3, De Bruyne operates mostly in the right-half space, always looking to be where others are not, intrinsically aware of what is over his shoulder and who his next pass is.

City attack in a W shape, with players positioned to ensure there is always depth and width to create passing angles. It requires positional discipline and constant, clever movement.

Some players do not understand why their role off the ball is so important and drift at the wrong times, but De Bruyne naturally moves to fill gaps.

The opening goal in City’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur was a perfect example of what he brings to City’s midfield. As Spurs tracked back, De Bruyne sneakily ducked out of City’s attack to find himself in space on the edge of the area.

After a quick scan of the opposite side of the pitch, De Bruyne whipped a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Raheem Sterling’s run, for a headed finish at the back post.

“Sometimes I see it. Sometimes I know it,” De Bruyne said after the match. “With the first goal I knew that Raheem would make that run. With the

second goal I’d seen Sergio [Aguero]. The lads tell me, ‘If you have the ball, we’ll make that run’.”

Movement, vision and technique created it but Guardiola had a hand, too. City focused much of their attacking play down the right in the first half in order to pull Spurs over to that side and free up Sterling on the opposite wing for a one-v-one with the inexperienced Kyle Walker-peters. We can expect to see this tactic again over the season.

De Bruyne helps City keep their structure and his direct style of play gives them something extra in the final third.

Bernardo Silva loves a one-two, David Silva keeps the ball safe when surrounded, but De Bruyne is the one who pulls the trigger. This is exactly what Guardiola needs to break down stubborn teams in frustrating attack versus defence matches.