De Bruyne’s Declining Fitness Levels
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Gary Neville analyzes Man City’s troubling form following the Tottenham match
Kevin De Bruyne’s return to action against Tottenham came late, as he was only called upon in the 74th minute—by then, the match had already slipped away from Manchester City. His involvement during a challenging stretch of five consecutive defeats has been limited to just 38 minutes of play.
De Bruyne’s ongoing battle with fitness, stemming from a hamstring injury sustained in September, presents a significant challenge for Pep Guardiola. While City managed without him for much of the previous season, the situation is different now, especially with Rodri also sidelined in midfield.
Since the Champions League opener against Inter two months ago, De Bruyne has not started a match. At 33 years old, and with over 700 appearances for both club and country, he is starting to feel the strain of his extensive career, as evidenced by recurring hamstring issues.
Guardiola is eager to see De Bruyne back in the starting lineup soon. However, similar to his brief appearance against Spurs, there is concern that his return may come too late to salvage the season. The past couple of years have shown that his body is becoming less dependable. Concurrently, at 34, questions are also emerging about Kyle Walker’s ability to cope under pressure. His struggle to keep up with Timo Werner during Tottenham’s fourth goal was alarming, particularly as Walker has historically relied on his speed to extricate himself and the team from precarious situations. Although he still reaches a commendable top speed of 33.61 kilometers per hour this season, it notably places him outside the league’s top 100 players. While the data may have some fluctuations due to situational demands, it raises red flags regarding his performance decline.
