Kevin de Bruyne claims ‘people don’t appreciate’ Erling Haaland because of drop off after ‘ridiculous’ last season and makes his two picks for Man City Player of the Year
- Phil Foden was named Football Writer of the Year on Thursday
- Man City can claim a record fourth league title in a row with a win on Sunday
- The fact that Ederson was not substituted immediately after his collision was a SCANDAL – Listen to It’s All Kicking Off! podcast
Kevin De Bruyne has given a shout out to Manchester City’s underrated star as they look on the precipice of a record fourth successive Premier League win.
Pep Guardiola’s side just need to match Arsenal’s result this weekend to stand alone in top flight history. If they do, they will be grateful for the contributions of several star players and their manager.
On Thursday, Phil Foden was named Football Writer of the Year, while midfield metronome Rodri is regularly praised for his vital contribution to the City system.
However, according to De Bruyne, Erling Haaland has slipped under the radar despite following up his 52-goal debut season with 38 goals this season.
“The season he had last year and the numbers were so unbelievable and ridiculous,” De Bruyne said. “If you have a season where it’s a little less, people don’t appreciate what you’ve done.
Kevin De Bruyne believes Erling Haaland’s performances have been overlooked this season
The Norwegian was the match winner for City on Tuesday evening with a brace against Tottenham
De Bruyne couldn’t choose between Phil Foden (left) and Rodri (right) for Man City’s Player of the Season
‘But he now has 27 goals and will probably win the Golden Boot again. It’s unbelievable. He’s great again and he will always do what he does.
“For Player of the Season, when I look at our team, I would say Phil or Rodri, because of their importance. There are some really good players on other teams too. There have been a few at Arsenal, and Ollie Watkins has been great for Aston Villa.”
Haaland extended his lead in the Golden Boot race on Tuesday evening with a race against Tottenham. His impressive numbers this season have come despite missing two months through injury.
City welcome West Ham to the Etihad on Sunday, while Arsenal entertain Everton at the Emirates.
De Bruyne believes City deserve respect as they are on the brink of a record-breaking fourth title in a row. Guardiola’s reigning champions have a two-point lead over the Gunners heading into this weekend’s final round of matches.
“You have to appreciate what you do all year long to get into this situation.” He added.
“People always talk about trophies, but we have been working for eleven months to get to this situation and if you don’t enjoy it along the way, what does that really mean? That one game, win or not, won’t change how well we’ve done this season.
“I know there is a lot of talk afterwards, but I see that this team has done an incredible job after the successes we have had in recent years. It’s an honor for the whole team to be in this situation again.”
