Although De Bruyne was a key player in the team’s record triple success last season, there hasn’t been much discussion about the hamstring injury that could keep him out until the end of the year and how it might affect City’s 2023–24 season.
The performance merely continues.
Since the midfielder had to leave the game against Burnley on the first night of the season, City has defeated the Clarets three times, trounced Newcastle with surprising ease, and, after their late performance at Sheffield United, have become the only team to win their first three games.
Though their victory at Bramall Lane was narrow, some could wonder if the Citizens were without their star Belgian against the freshly promoted team.
How did Man City set up without Kevin De Bruyne vs Sheffield Utd?
Due to back surgery, Pep Guardiola was unable to be in the away dugout, but he unquestionably had the most influence on how City lined up at Bramall Lane.
While it could have been a 4-4-2 due to the personnel, City’s ball-control strategy frequently resembled a 3-2-2-3. Kyle Walker was given the green light to saunter up the pitch from right-back, allowing Bernardo Silva to saunter infield and work from De Bruyne’s preferred area, the right-half gap.
Bernardo and Julian Alvarez operated as two auxiliary number tens who competed for superior positions between the lines. Erling Haaland served as the center of attention up top, and Jack Grealish rarely left the left flank.
The depth of Sheffield United’s block meant Ruben Dias often got involved in the final third as he would maraud from his defensive position to overload the Blades’ backline. Rodri’s average position was also higher than usual, especially in the second half.
Did Man City miss Kevin De Bruyne vs Sheffield United?
City may have missed De Bruyne on Sunday based on their narrow victory over a team they were predicted to destroy. That, however, wasn’t always the case.
Before Haaland’s missed penalty, City were mostly held at bay by Sheffield United’s tenacious block, especially in the first half. Walker was successful down the right side, while Alvarez, Silva, and even Ruben Dias made use of the room in the right-hand channel behind Jack Robinson.
Walker and Bernardo produced beautifully from the right when they worked the position, but City may have benefitted more if De Bruyne had made the shots from there. Alvarez, who has virtually taken the place of the Belgian in the starting XI, didn’t just work in the typical “De Bruyne zones,” but his movement was superb all game long, popping up everywhere in the final third.
City didn’t really miss their star midfielder on Sunday thanks to Alvarez’s performance and the effective job they did down the right. He offers something very different to De Bruyne.
De Bruyne, however, with his stunning eye for the killer pass and his ability to shoot from a distance, would have surely helped them in their attempts to penetrate Sheffield United’s low block. In spite of the absence of their main creator, City still managed to take 22 shots, nine of which were on goal, and score 3.66 predicted goals.
They had little trouble taking chances, but they consistently finished poorly.
Does Man City need to make a signing to cover for Kevin De Bruyne?
According to logic, City should be rather well-supplied, therefore another signing is unnecessary. However, when have the Champions League champions ever been a team that had to get by?
For more than £50 million, Jeremy Doku has just joined the team, but he wasn’t brought in to replace De Bruyne; rather, he was brought in to expand the wide options that Riyad Mahrez’s departure had left open. Although City had many opportunities, it is fair to conclude that they lacked a cutting edge when playing Sheffield United. They can’t afford to be as wasteful when playing against superior opponents.
Additionally, Rodri, whose primary duty is to maintain order at the foot of midfield, helped them out of a little jam. Phil Foden unintentionally set up his game-winning goal, and in the next weeks and months, he ought to be more active in the middle of the field.
Eberechi Eze, Lucas Paqueta, or someone of that caliber would unquestionably be excellent for City and boost their position as they attempt to win everything once more. But pretty is probably the most accurate way to put it; it isn’t required; the players they have only need to be a little sharper than they were tonight.
