Manchester City have been handed a major boost before their return to Premier League action against Leeds United later this month.
Following a 0-0 draw against Croatia in their final Group F fixture, Belgium have failed to progress through to the knockout stages of the competition in Qatar. The Red Devils’ shock exit is likely to spell an end to their ‘golden generation’ and Roberto Martinez’s reign.
Pep Guardiola, however, may take a certain degree of satisfaction in his compatriot’s struggles. Talisman Kevin de Bruyne will soon return to City, providing the 31-year-old with a greater preparation period for the visit of Leeds than, perhaps, initially expected.
Lacklustre displays on the global stage are not reflective of De Bruyne’s Premier League antics, as he continues to exceed impeccably high standards. The former Chelsea man can already boast three goals and nine assists from 14 Premier League outings.
One positive for Manchester City fans, though, is that De Bruyne and also Ilkay Gundogan will also be returning to England early after Germany were knocked out of the World Cup despite a 4-2 win over Costa Rica.
City are currently five points behind league leaders Arsenal, so having their best player fit and ready to go is a huge plus heading into what promises to be a nervy title race.
Kyle Walker, John Stones, Kalvin Phillips, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Nathan Ake, Julian Alvarez, Joao Cancelo, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Aymeric Laporte and Rodri and Ederson have all helped their respective teams progress from the group stages.
