Coach Pep Guardiola said he was very happy when captain Kevin De Bruyne returned after more than 5 months out due to injury, after the midfielder contributed an assist in the 5-0 victory over Huddersfield in round 3 of the Federation Cup.
It took De Bruyne just 17 minutes to find Jeremy Doku with a precise cross after coming on as a second-half substitute. This is the 32-year-old star playmaker’s first appearance since September, after he had to undergo surgery to fix a hamstring problem. “Kevin played really good minutes,” coach Guardiola said. “We are extremely happy that he is back. Kevin helps us win matches and there are very few people like this player in the world. I’m pretty sure Kevin feels how much we all love him. This mutual respect will last forever.”
De Bruyne entered the field in the 57th minute and was also involved in Phil Foden’s second goal in the 65th minute. Coach Guardiola then emphasized that Man.City’s chances of winning the title this season do not depend on the return of De Bruyne, but admitted his return in the second half of the campaign was a big boost. “Kevin will not solve the problems we face if we do not unite together,” coach Guardiola said. “I know Kevin can handle the pressure but it’s not fair to him. We have known each other for a long time. Kevin has a special ability to do something that is not easily found. He is special, he is unique.”