Tag: Kevin De Bruyne

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Sadio Mane keeps Liverpool title hopes alive

Sadio Mane kept Liverpool in the Premier League title hunt with a priceless second-half equaliser in a gripping 2-2 draw with leaders Manchester City.

Jurgen Klopp’s side sat 14 points behind City in January, but a 10-game winning run cut the gap to just one point to set up what many billed as a title decider at the Etihad Stadium.

Diogo Jota cancelled out Kevin De Bruyne’s opener in an enthralling start, and Mane followed suit swiftly after the interval following Gabriel Jesus’ 36th-minute strike.

Neither side could find a winner, with Raheem Sterling seeing a goal disallowed, as Pep Guardiola’s home side kept their slender lead intact with seven games left to play.

Sterling squandered a glorious chance after five minutes as he was denied by the onrushing Alisson following a square Jesus pass, but City were ahead just seconds later.

De Bruyne profited from a quick Bernardo Silva free-kick before arrowing a left-footed effort home, the ball going in off the right post following a fortuitous deflection off Joel Matip.

Liverpool responded within eight minutes, with Andy Robertson finding Trent Alexander-Arnold, who played the ball back from the far post for Jota to squeeze a low strike under Ederson.

De Bruyne whipped narrowly wide in search of his second before Jesus latched onto a Joao Cancelo cross and coolly finished via the underside of the crossbar.

Mane levelled up within a minute of the second half getting under way, racing onto Mohamed Salah’s throughball to slot powerfully past Ederson, who thwarted Jota’s prodded effort shortly after.

Sterling thought he had nudged the hosts ahead again, but a VAR check showed the forward was offside when De Bruyne passed the ball, while Salah curled just off target at the other end.

Substitute Riyad Mahrez provided a late scare for the visitors as he clipped the post with a free-kick, and then chipped over after a sublime De Bruyne pass, but there would be no decisive goal.

his result defied a trend for when the Premier League has seen its top two meet in the final 10 games of a season. In the last eight such meetings, prior to this, the team starting the day in second place had won seven times – including the last five in a row.

City, who have now not lost against Klopp’s side in the last five Premier League meetings (W2 D3), seemed set to take the three points when they became the first team to lead Liverpool at half-time in the league this season, but Mane’s composed finish means this race has a long way still to run.

De Bruyne’s excellence was on show as he lashed in his sixth goal in as many games – netting in four games in a row for City in all competitions for the first time – before Jesus came to haunt Liverpool once more.

He has only scored more for City against Everton (eight) than against the Reds in all competitions (five), while this was the fourth time he has netted in the league against Klopp’s side. Jamie Vardy (eight) and Harry Kane (six) are the only players to score more past Klopp’s Reds.

Salah-Mane link-up delivers

Mane and Salah have combined for 21 Premier League goals for Liverpool, with only Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman coupling up for more (24).

While the Egypt forward has just one goal in his last eight games across all competitions, and has not scored in the league in open play since February 19, Klopp will be pleased with his forward’s contributions amid ongoing contract negotiations.

Mane’s goal was timed at coming just 46 seconds into the second half, catching City cold.

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UCL LAST EIGHT: DE BRUYNE GIVES MAN CITY ADVANTAGE OVER ATLETICO MADRID

Kevin De Bruyne struck 20 minutes from time as Manchester City grabbed a slender advantage in their Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid.

The Belgian playmaker fired home from a tight angle after Phil Foden came off the bench to stunning effect in a tense and tight first leg at the Etihad Stadium.

Atletico were their usual dogged, defensive selves for most of the game and frustrated City despite the hosts’ dominance of possession.

Yet the introduction of Foden as part of a triple substitution by Pep Guardiola in the 68th minute paid almost immediate dividends.

Within moments he had slipped in De Bruyne with a delicate through ball and he finished firmly to put City in control heading into next week’s second leg in the Spanish capital.

Atletico boss Diego Simeone had promised Atletico would play their usual cagey game and he was as good as his word, forcing City to play patiently.

The first half was played at a slow tempo with City controlling most of the ball but, despite having all their outfield players in the final third at times, being unable to create openings.

De Bruyne and Joao Cancelo both had efforts deflected wide and Aymeric Laporte missed the target with a header.

Raheem Sterling felt he should have had a free-kick on the left edge of the area after a good run and Bernardo Silva went down in the box moments later but nothing was given.

Ilkay Gundogan shot well over and Rodri had a long-range effort blocked before De Bruyne had a penalty appeal turned down and John Stones also missed.

Yet still City were not greatly threatening and it was not until the second half they tried to inject more pace into their play.

This did open the game up slightly and Atletico almost capitalised with a couple of breaks from deep. Antoine Griezmann wasted one opening with a poor pass and Marcos Llorente chipped tamely at Ederson from another.

Yet it was a move that paid off as City began to threaten more. Gundogan had an effort deflected wide and City’s first serious chance came when De Bruyne forced Jan Oblak to save a low free-kick. Laporte then went close when he headed over from a corner.

City appealed for another penalty for a push by Reinildo on Sterling as he attempted to latch onto a De Bruyne through ball but referee Istvan Kovacs was not interested.

That proved Sterling’s final involvement as Guardiola took him off in the move that changed the game.

His decision paid off as Foden, who came on alongside Jack Grealish and Gabriel Jesus, teed up De Bruyne.

De Bruyne was quick to latch onto the opportunity and drilled a low shot past Oblak.

Foden created another chance for De Bruyne soon after following a tricky run to the byline but this time Atletico had enough players back to block.

Atletico then became the frustrated side and the game became scrappy and niggly before finally ending after several stoppages.

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Kevin De Bruyne leads rout as Guardiola’s City dazzle

Kevin De Bruyne turned on the style with a brilliant double, and you could only marvel as Manchester City savaged Leeds 7-0 in the Premier League.

Long-time friends Pep Guardiola and Marcelo Bielsa watched with contrasting emotions from the touchline as City inflicted the biggest defeat Leeds have ever suffered in the competition.

Guardiola’s City were sensational, with Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Riyad Mahrez, John Stones and Nathan Ake joining De Bruyne on the scoresheet, City passing the 500-goal mark in the Premier League under their Spanish boss.

The pick of the goals was De Bruyne’s second and City’s fifth, as his land-to-air missile from 25 yards left Illan Meslier helpless, with City surging four points clear of Liverpool at the top of the table.

Foden made the eighth-minute breakthrough when he finished off from the edge of the penalty area after the rampaging Rodri was beaten in a dash to the ball by Leeds goalkeeper Meslier.

By that stage Bernardo Silva had already missed a sitter from in front of an open goal. Leeds were in disarray and trailed 2-0 inside 13 minutes when Grealish headed in Riyad Mahrez’s whipped cross from the right – his first headed goal in his Premier League career.

De Bruyne made it 3-0 in the 32nd minute, a classy finish on his left foot from Rodri’s throughball. Foden then shot fractionally wide of the right post, with Meslier beaten, before seeing another shot blocked by Luke Ayling, as City looked to boost their goal difference.

Mahrez gave City a fourth in the 49th minute, a deflection off Junior Firpo diverting the Algerian’s skidding shot wide of the unlucky Meslier and into the left corner.

Foden prodded in from Mahrez’s pass but was inches offside; however, a fifth City goal arrived emphatically in the 62nd minute when De Bruyne smashed high and handsome into the net from distance.

Stones lashed in the sixth and fellow defender Ake headed goal number seven as City outclassed despairing visitors.

Guardiola, whose team had scored 499 goals in 206 Premier League games during his reign leading up to this game, fielded essentially a front five here. Silva was the one who missed out on a goal, as the quintet swarmed a Leeds defence that had no answer to their collective quality.

In the 568th game of his club managerial career, Leeds boss Bielsa saw a team under his charge concede seven goals for the first time. City’s goal difference took a major boost, and they are now just two behind Liverpool in that regard.

Leeds pulled off one of the all-time opportunist smash-and-grabs in this game last season, scoring with their only two shots to snatch a 2-1 victory, winning despite the expected goals (xG) count favouring City by 2.2 to 0.1.

Yet Leeds had not won consecutive away league games against City since 1987, and this could be filed under ‘payback’. The hosts led the shot count 31-6, while Leeds had just 35.6 per cent of possession, by far their lowest share this season.

De Bruyne’s second of the night was his 20th Premier League goal to be scored from outside the penalty area – no player has scored more such goals in the competition since De Bruyne’s September 2015 City debut, with Harry Kane next in line with 19 for Tottenham.

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MANCHESTER CITY SEE OFF BURNLEY AT THE ETIHAD

Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne were on target as champions Manchester City claimed a battling 2-0 Premier League win over Burnley at the Etihad Stadium.

City were not at their fluid best and made some uncharacteristic errors but the Clarets, despite a committed effort, were not capable of punishing them.

Silva put them on course for victory in the 12th minute and De Bruyne made sure of the victory in the second half.

The hosts went ahead early after a strong start and, even though Pep Guardiola may not have been happy their intensity dropped after that, they had enough quality when it mattered.

The Clarets had lost 5-0 on each of their previous four visits to the Etihad and they may have feared another repeat as City hit them hard early on.

Riyad Mahrez tested Nick Pope in the opening minutes and, with their build-up play slick and purposeful, it seemed only a matter of time before they would take the lead.

The opener duly arrived after Mahrez did well to wriggle out of a tight spot in the corner and find Silva. The Portuguese in turn picked out Phil Foden with a low ball across the box and, although Pope managed to beat away the Englishman’s well-struck shot, Silva was quick to snaffle the rebound.

Unexpectedly, the champions then stepped off the gas and Maxwel Cornet, who scored four goals in three Champions League games against City for former club Lyon, almost snatched an equaliser.

Dwight McNeil played the Ivorian in on goal with a good ball but Zack Steffen, handed a rare chance due to Ederson’s late return from international duty with Brazil, stood up to deny him. Cornet did get a second chance but blazed over.

Aymeric Laporte then gifted the Clarets another opportunity when he gave the ball away to Jack Cork, whose effort was blocked by John Stones. Still the danger was not clear but Josh Brownhill shot narrowly wide.

Despite their carelessness, City remained the stronger side and had further openings as Mahrez shot tamely at Pope and miscued another effort well over. Raheem Sterling connected with an acrobatic effort from a Mahrez cross but Nathan Collins blocked.

De Bruyne also led a strong charge upfield but the move broke down when Sterling miscontrolled in the area while Silva also missed the target.

Laporte’s uneasy half ended with a booking after a late challenge on McNeil.

City upped the tempo after the break and Mahrez clipped the top of the bar.

Burnley were unable to create anything of substance and City made victory certain 20 minutes from time with an emphatic finish from De Bruyne.

The visitors felt Mahrez fouled Ashley Westwood in the area as City attacked but nothing was given and De Bruyne thumped home unerringly.

City felt they could have had a penalty late on after a James Tarkowski challenge on Foden.

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KEVIN DE BRUYNE RESCUES LATE DRAW FOR CITY IN ANFIELD THRILLER

Manchester City twice pegged back Liverpool to earn a thrilling 2-2 draw at Liverpool on Sunday.

All four goals came in a stunning second half where Kevin De Bruyne rescued a point for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Liverpool took the lead through Sadio Mane before Phil Foden reduced the deficit. Mohamed Salah scored a stunner to put the hosts back ahead before De Bruyne grabbed another equaliser late on.

The draw sees Liverpool remain in second place with City behind in third.

“What a game. That’s the reason [over] the last years Man City and Liverpool are always there because we try to play in this way,” Guardiola said.

“Unfortunately we couldn’t win — but we didn’t lose.That’s why the Premier League is the best. It was great, really great.”

City dominated the first half and Liverpool needed Alisson to produce fine saves to twice deny Foden.

James Milner, filling in for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, had a torrid half, faced with Foden and Jack Grealish and receiving little help from his teammates.

De Bruyne should have put the visitors ahead 10 minutes before the break but his close-range header went over the bar.

The hosts responded well and Ederson produced a good save to stop Diogo Jota’s effort.

Liverpool went ahead after 59 minutes after Salah skipped past Joao Cancelo to set up Mane to finish past the goalkeeper.

City scored a deserved equaliser 10 minutes later when Foden produced a fine finish from a tight angle.

Salah restored Liverpool’s lead with a stunning solo goal where he jinked past four defenders and slotted the ball over the Ederson.

The champions responded once again five minutes later as De Bruyne’s effort deflected in off Joel Matip.

There was still time for an outstanding piece of defending from City midfielder Rodri, whose superb block kept out a goal-bound effort from Fabinho after Ederson had dropped a cross.

Klopp made no attempt to sugar-coat his team’s first-half display.

“We were too passive with and without the ball and played right into City’s hands. That was the worst half we have played against them,” he said.

“I was more than pleased when I heard the whistle for halftime because we had to adjust a lot of things and we did.

“Second half was completely different. If we only played the second half I would have loved to have won but with the first half I am happy with the point.”

The Liverpool boss also praised Salah for his sensational goal: “Only the best players in the world score goals like this. It was the first touch, the first challenge he wins, the going there and putting it on his right foot and finishing the situation off like he did. Absolutely exceptional.

“Because this club never forgets anything, people will talk about this goal for a long, long time, in 50, 60 years, when they remember this game.

“If Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo score that goal then the world says yes because it’s world class. He is one of the best players in the world, that’s how it is.”

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EURO 2020: DE BRUYNE LEADS BELGIUM TO COMEBACK WIN OVER DENMARK

Kevin De Bruyne came off the bench to fire Belgium into the last 16 with a comeback victory over Denmark on an emotional night in Copenhagen.

Playing for the first time since suffering facial fractures during the Champions League final, the Manchester City playmaker set up Thorgan Hazard’s 55th-minute equaliser and then clinched a 2-1 Group B win with a stunning finish 20 minutes from time.

Five days after midfielder Christian Eriksen had suffered a cardiac arrest on the same Parken Stadium pitch, Yussuf Poulsen fired the Danes into an early lead as FIFA’s number one-ranked team were outplayed until De Bruyne arrived to light up proceedings.

Kasper Hjulmand’s men could hardly have got off to a better start when they took the lead with less than two minutes gone.

Jason Denayer’s careless pass out of defence was picked off by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and when he fed Poulsen, the striker smashed a low shot across keeper Thibaut Courtois and inside the far post.

Courtois found himself in the thick of action early on, diving at the feet of wing-back Joakim Maehle and then fielding Daniel Wass’ header back across goal inside the opening six minutes with Belgium in uncharacteristic disarray.

Play stopped briefly as the clocked ticked around to 10 – the shirt number worn by Eriksen – as the players of both sides and officials joined the spectators in a moving moment’s applause for the Inter Milan midfielder.

Belgium simply could not force their way into the game as they repeatedly squandered possession to leave Danish keeper Kasper Schmeichel untested, and Courtois was relieved to see Eriksen’s replacement Mikkel Damsgaard curl a 35th-minute effort just past the upright.

Roberto Martinez sent on De Bruyne as a half-time substitute in a desperate search for inspiration – he was soon to be followed by Axel Witsel and Eden Hazard – and the move paid dividends within 10 minutes.

Romelu Lukaku ran away from the Danish defence before squaring for De Bruyne, who expertly dummied his way into space before rolling the ball into the path of the fast-arriving Thorgan Hazard to thump into the net.

But it was his sumptuous 70th-minute strike, which flew past the helpless Schmeichel and into the bottom corner, which ultimately won the day and maintained the Red Devils’ perfect start.

Martin Braithwaite might have rescued a point three minutes from time, but saw his header from substitute Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross clip the crossbar and run away to safety.

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KEVIN DE BRUYNE WINS FA MEN’S PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR SECOND SEASON IN A ROW

Kevin De Bruyne has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association’s men’s player of the year for the second successive season.

De Bruyne’s team-mate Phil Foden was announced as young player of the year, with Chelsea’s Fran Kirby taking the women’s player of the year accolade and Manchester City’s Lauren Hemp scooping women’s young player for the third time.

Manchester City midfielder De Bruyne (29) is the first player to win the men’s award for two straight campaigns since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Thierry Henry is the only other player since the awards started at the end of the 1973-74 season to receive the accolade twice running (2002-03 and 2003-04).

“I am becoming more of a leader on the pitch, off the pitch. I am learning a lot about myself, about the way the team is run and it can only help me for the future,” De Bruyne said in a video released by the PFA.

“You want to win all the trophies with the team and then obviously if you win a trophy like this, this is probably the most important one as an individual trophy in the league.

“To be voted by your competitors who you compete with every game, that says a lot. They are the people, in my view, who know the most about the game and they are trying to get to the best level.

“When you have these things, you can show your kids and say, ‘Look, this is what daddy did when he was younger’.”

De Bruyne maintained his outstanding form for City this season as Pep Guardiola’s side won a third Premier League title in four years, scoring six goals and recording 12 assists in 25 league appearances.

The Belgium playmaker pipped City team-mates Foden, Ilkay Gundogan and Ruben Dias, who were named on a six-man shortlist alongside Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.

Foden capped a superb campaign by being named PFA men’s young player of the year.

The 21-year-old scored 16 goals in 50 appearances for City in all competitions as Guardiola’s side won the title and Carabao Cup while they also reached the Champions League final.

Chelsea’s Mason Mount, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, West Ham’s Declan Rice and Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood were all on the shortlist for the young player prize.

Foden said in a PFA video: “I’m really honoured. There have been some great players in the past that have won it and I feel really lucky to win it because there have been so many great young talents this year. It’s a special moment.”

Chelsea and England forward Kirby scooped the women’s accolade, having found the net 25 times in all competitions as the Blues retained the Women’s Super League title and won the League Cup.

It is the second time the 27-year-old has won the award following her success in 2017-18 and the second occasion she has also been voted women’s footballer of the year by the Football Writers’ Association in the same term.

Kirby said on Twitter: “Extremely humbled to have won the PFA award. Coming back this year has allowed me to find a new love for the game and I’ve enjoyed every minute. Thank you to my team-mates and everyone at Chelsea for an incredible year. Thank you to everyone who voted for me.”

Chelsea team-mates Sam Kerr and Ann-Katrin Berger were beaten to the accolade, while Manchester City trio Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Sam Mewis completed the shortlist.

Hemp clinched the women’s young player of the year award for the second consecutive season and for the third time in her career.

The 20-year-old scored nine goals in 21 appearances in all competitions this season and said in a PFA video: “I hope to keep on improving because I know I’m not the finished product.”

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DE BRUYNE LEAVES HOSPITAL WITH FRACTURED NOSE AND EYE SOCKET

Kevin De Bruyne is out of hospital after suffering a fractured nose and eye socket during Manchester City’s Champions League final defeat to Chelsea.

The 29-year-old playmaker had to be replaced by Gabriel Jesus in the 60th minute on Saturday evening following a collision with Antonio Rudiger.

The Chelsea defender was booked for the challenge on De Bruyne, who left the field in tears at the Estadio do Dragao.

City boss Pep Guardiola was unsure about the severity of the injury after the match, with De Bruyne providing an update on the issue on Sunday morning.

“Hi guys just got back from the hospital,” the Belgium international posted on Twitter.

“My diagnosis is Acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture. I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back.”

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KELVIN DE BRUYNE SIGNS MAN CITY CONTRACT EXTENSION TILL 2025

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the club until 2025.

The Belgium international, whose existing deal was due to expire in 2023, is 30 in June and now looks set to see out most of the remainder of his career at the Etihad Stadium.

De Bruyne has had a glittering spell since joining the club from Wolfsburg in 2015, winning seven major trophies, which could become 11 by the end of the season if City are successful in their hunt for the quadruple.

But, ominously for the rest of Europe, he reckons the best is yet to come for himself and Pep Guardiola’s team.

“I could not be happier. Since joining City in 2015, I have felt at home,” he said. “I love the fans, my family are settled here in Manchester and my own game has developed really well.

“This football club is geared for success. It offers me everything I need to maximise my performance, so signing this contract was a straightforward decision.

“I am playing the best football of my career and I honestly feel there is more to come.

“Pep and I see football in the same way. Having that relationship with a manager is so important to me because our objectives are totally aligned, and we want the same things.

“My focus now is on ensuring we have a successful end to the current campaign. Our results and performances so far have been excellent, but we need to make sure we end the season with the silverware we deserve.”

De Bruyne, who was named as the Professional Footballers’ Association’s player of the year in 2020, is having another impressive campaign, with seven goals and 16 assists, and director of football Txiki Begiristain knows they have one of the best footballers in the world.

Begiristain said: “This is a very significant moment for this football club. Kevin is, without question, one of the best players in world football.

“His performance level has been remarkably consistent since coming to City, and in the last few years he has developed into one of the game’s elite players.

“His talent is unquestionable – but he is also a consummate professional whose dedication to Manchester City during his time here has been nothing short of remarkable. He constantly seeks to improve, and his approach is the perfect blueprint for any young player looking to carve out a career.

“We are delighted he is our player and I look forward to watching him during his peak years here at Manchester City.”

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KEVIN DE BRUYNE STARS AS BELGIUM SEE OF WALES

Wales suffered an opening defeat in their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign as Kevin De Bruyne’s brilliance proved the difference in a 3-1 win for Belgium in Leuven.

Harry Wilson stunned Belgium with a superbly-crafted 10th-minute goal, but the star-studded hosts were soon ahead as De Bruyne fired home from distance and then played a major part as Thorgan Hazard’s header gave them the lead.

Romelu Lukaku sealed victory for Group E favourites Belgium with a 73rd-minute penalty after Chris Mepham had needlessly brought down Dries Mertens.

Without manager Ryan Giggs, who has denied an allegation of assault, Wales faced what is on paper the most difficult challenge in international football – an away game with Belgium.

The Red Devils top the FIFA world rankings and entered World Cup qualifying unbeaten in competitive home matches since losing to Germany in September 2010.

Belgium also had the incentive of avenging their Euro 2016 quarter-final loss to Wales, a defeat which cost Roberto Martinez’s predecessor Marc Wilmots his job.

Seven players remained from that game in Lille – Thibaut Courtois, Thomas Meunier, Toby Alderweireld, De Bruyne and Lukaku for Belgium and Wales pair Joe Allen and Gareth Bale – as the two countries met for the sixth time in the last decade.

Wales were unbeaten in the last four meetings and caretaker boss Robert Page welcomed Allen back into the international fold.

The Stoke midfielder ruptured an Achilles tendon 12 months ago and had not played for Wales since November 2019.

Liverpool teenager Neco Williams also came into the side following November’s Nations League win over Finland, while Belgium’s major team news centred around Lukaku.

The former Manchester United striker had arrived late in camp following a coronavirus outbreak at his club Inter Milan. But Lukaku started and his presence encapsulated the size of the visitors’ task with his 57 international goals from 89 games being one more than the entire Wales squad.

Both sides took the knee before kick-off and Wales suffered an early blow as Allen’s international return lasted only seven minutes, an apparent hamstring injury ending his night prematurely.

But Wales were quickly ahead as a slick one-touch passing move opened up the Belgium defence. Bale fed the final pass into the stride of Wilson, who claimed his fifth international goal with aplomb.

Youri Tielemans’ shot was deflected wide and Lukaku somehow steered De Bruyne’s brilliant cross over the bar from two yards out as Belgium settled to their task.

De Bruyne continually drifted into dangerous positions and Wales were punished after 22 minutes when the Manchester City midfielder was allowed space to unleash a 25-yard shot, which flew in off a post.

Belgium continued to press and took the lead six minutes later as De Bruyne set up Meunier to cross from the right.

Connor Roberts slipped on the difficult surface and Hazard sent a powerful header past Danny Ward in the Wales goal.

Hazard sent another shot over and Wales were relieved to hear the half-time whistle still in the contest.

There was more intent about Wales after the interval as Bale almost tricked his way through a packed home defence before the Wales captain’s audacious overhead kick fell wide.

Daniel James was also off-target twice as Belgium sat back with almost half an eye on Saturday’s trip to the Czech Republic.

But the result was put beyond doubt as Lukaku’s spot-kick confirmed Wales’ first defeat in 12 competitive matches and left the Dragons playing catch-up in World Cup qualification.