‘Didn’t do enough’… Pundit says £51m Man City ace genuinely affected Kevin De Bruyne’s performance v Liverpool

Redaction Simon Brett with Srinivas Sadhanand
Published on 2024-03-11 11:00:00

Stewart Robson believes that Erling Haaland’s performance had a negative impact on Kevin De Bruyne during Manchester City’s recent match against Liverpool.

Despite the anticipation of Haaland and De Bruyne causing havoc for the hosts, both players failed to shine during the game. Guardiola even substituted De Bruyne with Mateo Kovacic to help City retain possession.

Robson stated that Haaland’s lack of involvement in the match affected De Bruyne’s performance. While De Bruyne did contribute to Stones’ goal with a corner, he struggled to make a significant impact overall.

Robson mentioned that City needed to play through Haaland to get De Bruyne involved, but Haaland did not assert himself enough in the game.

“When they went longer, to get Kevin De Bruyne in the game, it had to go into [Erling] Haaland and Haaland to Kevin De Bruyne, not the other way around. Haaland, for me, didn’t show up enough, didn’t win enough balls that were played up to him and didn’t show enough”, he said [via ESPN FC].

“Usually, it doesn’t matter but if the opposition want to dominate midfield and are pressing you high up, you’ve got to bypass that and go into your centre-forward and he didn’t do enough, which didn’t allow Kevin De Bruyne to show his skills as well.”

Robson’s comments have sparked a debate on whether blaming Haaland for De Bruyne’s underwhelming performance is fair.

Some argue that City’s overall sloppy possession and rushed plays were the real issues that hindered De Bruyne’s effectiveness. Liverpool’s dominance in possession also limited City’s opportunities to utilize their attacking threats.

Ultimately, De Bruyne’s subpar display can be attributed to a combination of factors, including the team’s collective performance and his own decision-making on the ball.

While Haaland’s contribution might have played a role, it is clear that City faced challenges beyond just the striker’s performance.

The match highlighted the importance of team dynamics and individual player decisions in determining the outcome of a game. It also showcased the unpredictability of football, where even the most anticipated matchups can result in unexpected outcomes.

Robson’s assessment adds another layer to the post-match analysis, sparking discussions among fans and experts on the impact of individual performances in a team sport like football.

Read Original article on Manchester City News