Kevin De Bruyne's Injury Doesn't Matter As Much As You Think
Last updated: Aug 24, 2018, 7:18AM | Published: Aug 21, 2018, 6:08AM
As Manchester City steamrolled Huddersfield on Sunday afternoon, a notable absentee missed the Citizens utter torment of the Terriers - midfield playmaker Kevin De Bruyne. De Bruyne watched from the stands while City thrashed Huddersfield 6-1, as the City juggernaut steamrolled on without their star man.
The Belgian has been ruled out for up to three months with a knee injury sustained at training last week, and many have said it creates a huge opportunity for City's rivals to get one up on them whilst De Bruyne is sidelined. Perhaps though, it is not that simple to derail this powerhouse City side.
The flexibility of the Sky Blues' plug-in and play system means that there are a variety of replacements and tactical setups that Pep Guardiola can choose from to replace his midfield creator.
David Silva can adopt plenty of the attacking responsibility shouldered upon De Bruyne, with Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and İlkay Gündoğan all more than capable of filling different roles in midfield and attack. Guardiola is also likely to put trust in the likes of youth teamer Phil Foden to play minutes in midfield this season, adding to the team's range of options.
Unlike other manager's more rigid systems (*cough cough*, Jose Mourinho), Guardiola's system is fluid and versatile enough to get the best out of any players chosen, rather than relying on any one single player.
Manchester City's fixture list is also quite kind to them through De Bruyne's suggested absence, and if he can fast-track his recovery he may be able to return for some of their more challenging mid-season matches. The last time De Bruyne suffered a similar, injury he missed 12 games. If he were to do the same this time, this is what their run would look like:
- Huddersfield (Home) - 6-1 Win
- Wolves (Away) (see our Match Page)
- Newcastle (Home)
- Fulham (Home)
- Champions League Game #1 (TBD)
- Cardiff (Away)
- Carabao Cup 3rd Round (TBD)
- Brighton (Home)
- Champions League Game #2 (TBD)
- Liverpool (Away)
- Burnley (Home)
- Champions League Game #3 (TBD)
Additional fixtures against Tottenham, Southampton, Manchester United and West Ham may await without De Bruyne depending on his recovery time.
The 6-1 thrashing of Huddersfield highlighted the key depth of Guardiola's City side, as even without their star Belgian, City could afford to put out an imposing starting line-up and still possess the likes of Leroy Sané, Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez on the bench.
Does this mean Manchester City won't miss De Bruyne? Of course not. They don't possess a player with his exact skillset, but what they do possess is many capable and above average level replacements who bring varied key attributes to their side.
Most importantly they also have Guardiola, one of the greatest tactical minds football has ever seen - and that in itself can help cover De Bruyne's absence.
According to Stats Insider data, Manchester City should barely miss a beat whilst the Belgian sits on the sidelines. If he misses the expected amount of games as stated above, here is how we project City's season to pan out:
Not much of a change, is it? Across the previously mentioned games, City barely has a chink in their armour without De Bruyne. Rather than a slight on the ability of their star playmaker, t's a testament to their strength in depth and overall quality. The ability of Guardiola's system to fit in different players and adjust accordingly is a big part of what makes them so good.
Additionally, ranked at 56.2% chance of winning the league before his injury, City now comes in at 52.8%, a significant 3.4% hit to the title favourites.
So whilst an injury crisis to several players would potentially severely damage their chances, the impact of one player getting injured is somewhat overrated in the eyes of many. Rivals will need a lot more to go their way if they want to pip City for this year's Premier League crown.
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