‘Really strange’… BBC pundit stunned by what happened with 32-year-old Man City star against Liverpool today

Redaction Simon Brett with Tom Procter
Published on 2024-03-10 17:45:15

In a highly anticipated match at Anfield, Manchester City and Liverpool battled to a 1-1 draw in the Premier League.

The game started off with City taking the lead when John Stones converted Kevin De Bruyne’s corner, capitalizing on good play from Nathan Ake to fend off Alexis Mac Allister.

Liverpool fought back in the second half, as Mac Allister equalized from the penalty spot after a costly mistake from Ake, who played a back pass that fell short for Ederson.

The match took an unexpected turn when Pep Guardiola made a surprising substitution, bringing on Jeremy Doku for Julian Alvarez and replacing De Bruyne with Mateo Kovacic.

Although De Bruyne had assisted in City’s goal, his overall performance against Liverpool was not as impactful.

Pat Nevin analysing the moment for BBC Sport, Pat Nevin said: “It’s really strange that [Kevin de Bruyne’s reaction to coming off].

“The obvious one to take off would have been Silva. De Bruyne has not had a great half but Silva, he’s injured and he has not had a great impact on the game so far. He might have been saying ‘Why not take him off?’.

“But it was very odd – very un-De-Bruyne-like.”

The substitution appeared to be tactical, prompting a reaction from De Bruyne himself, who was visibly animated in discussing the decision with Guardiola.

Despite De Bruyne’s potential to make a difference in the game, Guardiola’s bold move allowed Phil Foden to shine in a central role, where he has excelled throughout the season. Kovacic also made a positive contribution after coming on, adding to the intrigue of Guardiola’s decision.

While De Bruyne’s substitution raised eyebrows, it ultimately demonstrated Guardiola’s willingness to make bold calls and adapt tactics as needed to secure a positive result for Manchester City.

The match ended in a stalemate, but the manager’s decisive action provided valuable insights into his strategic approach to the game.

Read Original article on Manchester City News