Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne feels he is yet to find his rhythm in the early stages of 2019-20. The Premier League champions are unbeaten after three league games this term but a draw at home to Tottenham in their second match has left them trailing leaders and last season’s title rivals Liverpool by two points.
De Bruyne has been key to City’s success so far this term, laying on four assists, and it looks like they will need all of his talent to beat Liverpool to the title again.
His ability on the ball makes him one of the best midfielders in world football and Pep Guardiola is understandably a huge admirer.
City had to cope without the former Chelsea man for large parts of last season due to injuries and he only completed 90 minutes in the Premier League on four occasions.
He is already halfway to matching that tally with just three games played this time around and looks to have put those injury issues firmly in the past.
Certainly that will be the hope for City fans as they look to play catch-up on Liverpool in the early part of the season.
Indeed, City, who won the domestic treble last season, have ambitions to retain those pieces of silverware, while also adding the Champions League to their trophy cabinet in 2019-20.
De Bruyne’s performances so far have left City fans optimistic about their chances of doing the quadruple this season.
But his latest comments suggest things could be set to get even better next month when he really starts to settle in.
De Bruyne said: “I just don’t think I played the best game [against Bournemouth]. “It’s one of those games, August, for me, I’m just trying to find a rhythm and then September is easier.”
The Belgium international reached a milestone in Sunday’s hard-fought 3-1 victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
He became the fastest player in Premier League history to register 50 assists, having reached that mark in his 123rd appearance. “It’s always nice to have something like that in the books,” he added. “It doesn’t really matter but maybe in 20 years back I can look back and say I accomplished something.”
The Drongen-born playmaker has twice topped the charts for assists in the Premier League and his early form has hinted he could be the man leading the way again at the end of this season.
