Kevin De Bruyne downplays concerns over his Man City form
Kevin De Bruyne insists “different standards” are expected of him compared to other players, as he plays down concerns about his form despite admitting he might not be playing at his best this season.
- There have been questions about Kevin De Bruyne’s form this season
- Man City’s Belgian midfielder has started just five of his last nine games.
- However, De Bruyne has no worries despite admitting he might not be at his best.
Kevin De Bruyne has insisted that there are higher expectations for him compared to other Premier League players, as he has responded to criticism of his form.
The Man City midfielder has been one of the best players in the top flight in recent seasons, helping his team to four titles under Pep Guardiola.
There have been doubts about his form this campaign though, with just five starts in his last nine games in all competitions, coming on as a substitute in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
As reported by the Manchester evening newsDe Bruyne admits he may not be playing at his best, but he isn’t worried about his form.
He said: ‘Obviously people have a different standard [for me] to many players. It is just what it is.
Kevin De Bruyne has downplayed concerns about his form for Man City so far this season
The Belgian midfielder has started just five of Man City’s last nine games in all competitions.
‘People expect me to score every game and help in every game. I think I’ve been playing pretty well. Perhaps there have been fewer assists but I don’t think I have created less.
‘I don’t really look at these things. I feel good. I think I’m playing well, maybe it’s not the best I’ve ever played, but it’s good.
‘You know the stats: I’ve created the most in the league and I have the most assists and I haven’t even played four or five games. For me is the same. I’ve been doing the same thing for eight years here and 15 years in professional football, so it feels good.”
He added: ‘I’m an old man in this game, I know what it’s like. I’m fine. Obviously you want to play as much as possible, but if you don’t play, you do your best for 10 minutes and that’s what I did and got the win for the team.”
While some may question whether De Bruyne is playing to his usual high standards, there is no doubt about his importance to this Man City side.
Although De Bruyne said ‘there may have been fewer assists’, he already has more this season than last season.
So far this season he has 18 in all competitions, compared to the 14 he scored last season.
De Bruyne says people hold him to a “different standard” than they hold other players.
Pep Guardiola brought De Bruyne off the bench with just 11 minutes left in the weekend
However, his goal numbers have dropped significantly with just five this season compared to 18 last year.
However, a big part of that could be down to Man City now playing an outright striker in Erling Haaland, which they didn’t do when they beat Liverpool to the title in 2021-22.
De Bruyne came on as a substitute for Bernardo Silva in the 79th minute in the weekend’s win over Crystal Palace.
Man City play RB Leipzig in the Champions League round of 16 second leg on Tuesday, with the score tied 1-1 before the game at the Etihad.