Kevin De Bruyne’s tactical vision swings title race towards City | Jonathan Wilson

WWith 16 minutes to go at St James’ Park on Saturday, Liverpool were perhaps starting to think about their five-point lead over Manchester City, having played one more game and become an actual five-point lead without caveats – which, with City still heading to Anfield – it could look quite significant. But then Kevin De Bruyne scored one and set up another, the lead was reduced to two points and the champions were within reach.

City are still far from their best and vulnerable to balls played behind the defensive line, as Pep Guardiola’s teams often struggle for shape. The fact that they conceded two in three minutes against Newcastle was also characteristic; Batch leaking goals is another well-known quirk of Guardiola teams when they are still searching for the right formation in possession. At half-time, Saturday’s match was almost a paradigmatic example of how Guardiola teams can lose games: City had controlled the ball to an extraordinary degree, without creating much, and yet had not only conceded two goals, but also conceded three encountered. or four other opportunities in transition. Newcastle were under some pressure, but essentially the match followed a similar pattern when De Bruyne came on.

And that’s what’s strange about City this season. Guardiola’s football has always been about the team, the positional sense, the movement and the interactions of the collective, but recently they have been saved by the brilliance of individuals – which is of course the big advantage when spending large amounts of money. And from a creative point of view, there is no one more brilliant than De Bruyne. Other players may have thought his goal was lucky; However, it is clearly within De Bruyne’s capabilities to use Fabian Schär’s legs as a croquet hoop and roll the ball between them into the bottom corner. His pass for Oscar Bobb’s winner was equally accurate.

De Bruyne said that after five months away with a hamstring injury, he knew he would only last about 25 minutes. The concern for the other title challengers is that, even if it takes him another month to get back to playing 90 minutes, City will only face one top-half team between now and early March – and that is Chelsea. who sit in ninth place and despite having just won a third league game in a row for the first time this season, remain wildly inconsistent. There is not only enough time for De Bruyne to return to full fitness, but also for Erling Haaland, John Stones, Ederson and Manuel Akanji to recover before the month that will likely determine the destination of the title: from the first weekend of March to the first weekend of April, City will play Manchester United, Liverpool, Brighton, Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Haaland is an astonishing goalscorer. Stones, with his ability to move out of the center of defence, was crucial in providing City with security against last season’s counter-attack, becoming the extra midfielder they needed to compensate for Haaland not being able to play deep drops in the way Guardiola strikers tend to have done in the past. Ederson is probably the best ball-playing goalkeeper in the world. Akanji had a very good first season in England, impressive across the back four. But it is De Bruyne’s return that feels most significant.

Guardiola’s critics suggest his football can be mechanical, a bit bloodless, without the rough edges, improvisation or spontaneity that can thrill a crowd. And there is some truth in that. That’s why a Guardiola team that plays poorly can dominate the ball while appearing toothless. But his best teams have a player capable of breaking the mold – what Lionel Messi did for Barcelona, ​​De Bruyne does for City. He sees things that others do not, has the precision to poke holes that others cannot, but also has the discipline and tactical awareness not to disrupt the form at inopportune moments.

That may be bad news for those who prefer Phil Foden in central positions, but no matter how well Foden has played through the middle of late, as Julian Alvárez has moved to a more orthodox centre-forward position in Haaland’s absence, he is not. De Bruyne does not yet have the combination of qualities of the Belgian. But Foden on the wing is still a powerful weapon and even looking through the lens of the England national team, the existence of Jude Bellingham means this is where he is likely to start at the European Championship.

The expectation during City’s difficult autumn was that things would click, as they often do in the second half of the season. That spring fixture list makes it unlikely they will complete the run of consecutive wins they have enjoyed in the past, but De Bruyne’s return is likely the first step on the road to the title. Anfield already looks vital on March 9.