Kevin De Bruyne created eight goals last season to help lead Manchester City to the title and earn himself the Premier League player of the year trophy for the second time. This season he has nine assists already but his consistent genius is drifting under the radar thanks to the headline figures plunderer-in-chief Erling Haaland is racking up.
The Belgian’s delivery and eye-of-the-needle passes are a threat for any defence; he is able to create angles with the ball that few can dream of, producing passes before opponents can react. It helps that 27-goal Haaland has arrived to get on the end of whipped crosses and through-balls, making De Bruyne’s life a little easier when he takes the briefest of looks to see where his teammates are whenever the ball lands at his feet in the opposition half. Haaland volleying, jabbing and heading home passes from De Bruyne has become a regular sight. In the Manchester derby at the Etihad, the pair combined twice, ensuring United will be fearful of them at Old Trafford on Saturday.
