Comment

Man City honours go to Gabriel Jesus but Kevin De Bruyne should be the blessed one

Man City honours go to Gabriel Jesus but Kevin De Bruyne be the blessed one
Jesus and De Bruyne were outstanding against Liverpool Credit: getty images

There was an extraordinary, controversial call here. As Manchester City completed their dismantling of Liverpool, the stadium announcer revealed that the sponsors’ man of the match was not Kevin de Bruyne.

Forget the 37th-minute red card for Sadio Mane, this was the most debatable decision. Gabriel Jesus was granted the honour instead.

To see De Bruyne as a support act is a woeful misreading of his talent. With respect to Jesus – brilliant as he was as the game became embarrassingly one-sided – De Bruyne was already running the show against Liverpool’s 11 men. He led a procession against 10.

Referee Jonathan Moss’s dismissal of Mane was the defining moment of this fixture, but do not underestimate the influence of De Bruyne’s right foot beforehand.

There were still 12 minutes before Mane’s exit when De Bruyne sent Sergio Aguero clear for his customary goal in this fixture. It was De Bruyne’s right-footed delivery from the left for Jesus to add the second before half-time as the visitors’ capitulation  began. He was the engineer of a  couple more in the second half,  linking play, probing and shrugging off a Liverpool midfield that faded to the point of anonymity.

De Bruyne was a constant menace for City
De Bruyne was a constant menace for City Credit: AFP

For all the millions more Pep Guardiola has invested to fine-tune City over the summer, finding the right role for De Bruyne may prove the greatest influence on the title’s destination. He is a creator, a  goalscorer and midfielder of physical presence.

Guardiola knows he has a gem. “When I was in the Bundesliga I saw at Wolfsburg his quality, commitment and intelligence,” said the manager.

“With one  instruction he knows what to do  immediately. He produces huge  assists, is quick and he sees the spaces more than anyone else. His running is good. He is a complete player and we are lucky to have him with us. He is always optimistic and is one of our captains. This season his mood is good, maybe because he has become a father.”

While appreciating the significance of the numerical advantage, Guardiola believes this performance was coming anyway.

So often he has argued that City create opportunities they do not take. On this occasion they were able to cut through at will, Liverpool’s fragile defence shaken and misshapen in the second half, Ragnar Klavan toiling and Jurgen Klopp’s reversion to three at the back leading only to deterioration.

This was Liverpool’s worst defeat under Klopp. Not since a 6-1 defeat in the dying months of Brendan Rodgers’ reign have they lost so heavily.

“Sometimes it is not easy to play against 10, but we did it well,” said Guardiola. The second goal helped a lot. We had to find the right moments with Sergio, Kevin and David [Silva]. We had patience to do that. We read the situation quite well. For a long time City have not beaten Liverpool.”

Guardiola could argue the sending off explained the win, but not the margin of victory, even if repelling De Bruyne, Jesus, Silva and Aguero is a tougher proposition than normal.

Guardiola's side made short work of Liverpool's ten men
Guardiola's side made short work of Liverpool's ten men Credit: LIVERPOOL FC

Against such a formidable free-flowing opponent only the harshest will see this as anything more than an isolated incident for Liverpool, but their surrender was meeker than can be expected. We know the Anfield side’s plan A can be riveting, but the suspicion lingers they are less adept at finding a plan B.

“It was a hard lesson today,” said Klopp. It was also chastening. The German manager was rendered utterly helpless and must ensure the belief he was building does not evaporate in the weeks ahead as it did in the minutes after Mane’s departure.

“I will try to ignore the result. Not the mistakes but the result. That is already done,” said Klopp.

“It was a difficult situation. I was still positive but with one man down against City, it is really not the best place to be. We could have done  better in the second half. It was hard for the boys but I don’t look for excuses. We also need to learn in the first half we need to influence the game in another direction. We need to score here. Everybody saw it.

Klopp rued his side's wastefulness before the red card
Klopp rued his side's wastefulness before the red card Credit: AP

“We should have scored in the first half and we should have had more chances. Mo Salah was three or four times on the touchline in the 18-yard box or even in the six-yard box and no one was on the front post.”

Inevitably, Klopp felt the most significant contribution of the afternoon came from the official, Moss.

“Sadio is very very very upset,” he said. “He is shocked about the situation and I am sure also about the situation. It was an accident – very unlucky. Everyone knows he didn’t see the goalie.”

Despite that, Klopp is  unlikely to appeal. “A waste of time,” he added.

De Bruyne, meanwhile, left holding the man-of-the-match champagne courtesy of the broadcaster – proof the most contentious decision can always be reversed.

License this content