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Manchester City's creator-in-chief Kevin De Bruyne welcomes 'pressure' of manager Pep Guardiola's glowing praise
Pep Guardiola may have claimed Kevin De Bruyne is one of the best players he has ever seen but the Manchester City midfielder believes it is the manager's way of ensuring his standards never slip.
De Bruyne choreographed City's 4-0 demolition of Feyenoord in their opening Champions League group game on Wednesday to maintain his impressive start to the season and throw down a marker in the competition.
Fellow playmaker Bernardo Silva joined Guardiola in singing De Bruyne's praises by claiming the Belgian is so intelligent on the field he makes everyone else's jobs easier.
But De Bruyne believes Guardiola's lofty assessment also raises expectations and increases the pressure on him to perform at a consistently high level.
“It makes me happy (to hear that) but the other way is it is also a way of putting pressure on me to do well," he said.
"I have tried to be more consistent since I came here and have had ups and downs but last year and the start this year has been constantly very good for me.
“I'm going with the flow of the team. I feel really good after a good preparation - physically and mentally I'm ready to play and get a lot of confidence from the manager and the teammates around me. “I've been here more than two years so I feel at home with this team now. It's a good period for me."
De Bruyne is being deployed in a deeper midfield role this season, one he has played for Belgium, and is being asked to dictate City's tempo by Guardiola. He did that to dizzying effect in Rotterdam and admits he gets as much pleasure out of creating goals as scoring them.
"I get more more joy from an assist sometimes, just in the way I feel," he said. “It's nice to score a goal but I don't get in that type of position too many times, as I did in the first year, but it doesn't matter. I am enjoying my football and the goals will come. As long as we win I don't care.
"It (the deeper role) is good. The guys who come in are so talented one against one with their speed, and ability to dribble, and I'm more of a passing player. I have learned so much from David (Silva) and Fernandinho in the middle, and from Yaya (Toure). I am getting better in that way.
"I have always said that the longer I play in my career, I will play deeper, because of the attributes I have in contrast to the more wing-attack players."
Feyenoord marked only the second start for Bernardo since his £44 million move from Monaco and he the Portuguese is relishing playing with De Bruyne and believes the young age profile in the side means there is significant room for growth.
"His decisions are always good and he is very intelligent on the pitch," Bernardo said. "Intelligent players can play different roles, that’s what he does perfectly when the coach asks him to play on the right side, the left side, as an offensive midfielder, a more defensive midfielder, to cause attacks, to finish. It is a pleasure to have him with us.
"Young players are hungry for titles, we have never won the Champions League and most of the players in this squad have never won the Premier League so we want to win big things and together we hope we can get them."