Kevin De Bruyne: Manchester City’s Midfield Maestro

Is Kevin de Bruyne the best player in the Premier League? You could certainly make a strong argument supporting that belief. The Belgium star has notched six goals and nine assists in 23 top-flight appearances so far this campaign – Pep Guardiola’s midfield maestro is right in the mix to win the PFA Player of the Year award if he maintains his current form.

Manchester City were unbeaten ahead of their recent trip to Anfield but that record is now over. The Blues were second best against Jurgen Klopp’s side, conceding four goals in what is always a very difficult fixture. On that day, De Bruyne was relatively quiet; he struggled to make a positive impact throughout the contest but he will bounce back in the coming weeks.

To label Manchester City a “one man team” would be unfair, to say the least. Guardiola has built one of the strongest squads in Premier League history and the Blues are deservedly clear at the top of the table. But De Bruyne is central to their success and a long-term injury to the Belgian could put a spanner in the works ahead of the business end of the campaign.

City are 15 points clear of nearest rivals Manchester United and it will take a major collapse on City’s behalf to fall short. Premier League betting odds show Pep’s men at 1/33 to win the crown and it is difficult to back against de Bruyne and co. The Belgian can turn a match on its head in the blink of an eye and he can be City’s difference maker as they attempt to win four major trophies.

According to WhoScored, de Bruyne ranks as City’s top player this season – most supporters who watch the Blues on a weekly basis would agree. Sergio Aguero has a rating of 7.69 in second spot while De Bruyne is sitting pretty at 7.89. In addition, De Bruyne has been named Man of the Match on six occasions with five of those coming at the Etihad Stadium. On home soil, he has been an absolute joy to watch…

Kevin De Bruyne: Of the 6 WhoScored man of the match awards De Bruyne has won in the Premier League this season, 4 have come against the Big Six (vs Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal & Tottenham)

He is 6.5 with @BetVictor to win the award today — https://t.co/UKA0WpzFdR pic.twitter.com/zwvndPq9tI

— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) January 14, 2018

De Bruyne became the first Manchester City player to be named in the UEFA Team of the Year and that is testament to the Belgium’s continued good form over the last year. Ahead of next summer’s World Cup, De Bruyne will be looking to maintain his own performance at the highest level and he could be in for success at club level and on the international stage.

Guardiola knows a rising star when he sees one and De Bruyne can control City’s midfield for many years to come. He has been a class above his Premier League peers this season and perhaps only Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane will push the Belgium star close in the Player of the Year race. The modern-day midfielder usually plays in one system but the versatile De Bruyne is able to play in a number of roles – he is a truly magnificent footballer.