Kevin De Bruyne is at the top of his game and has reached the milestone of 100 assists at Southampton. Credit: AP/Frank Augstein
It was the seconds just before Kevin De Bruyne's 100th Premier League assist that told you the most about why he reached that milestone so much faster than any other Premier League player.< /p>
De Bruyne started the match with Erling Haaland's City triple support to the right, but as Ainsley Maitland-Niles was already struggling to contain Jack Grealish on the left, he retreated to the other flank.
The City was moving at full speed towards Southampton. goal as the seconds counted down before half time, but Grealish spotted de Bruyne's run instantly and released his teammate.
The game was interrupted after returning inside, but De Bruyne sensed his chance and simply remained in the large space on the left, which was vacated by Southampton. Grealish chose him again and with one quick touch De Bruyne delivered a perfectly accurate cross into the space between Southampton centre-back Armel Bella-Kocap and their goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu.
It was an air strike for Haaland's level striker, and City were on their way to an eighth successive win in three competitions — the Premier League, the Champions League and the FA Cup — in which they could still match Manchester United's unprecedented treble in 1999. .
DO NOT WRONG THIS TIME! 💥
Haaland is among the goals again and again! 29+… pic.twitter.com/sdfahIDPrI
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 8, 2023
Haaland will naturally generate the most headlines, but it is likely that De Bruyne is still the most important player.
“Kevin has an ability that is so hard to find,” said Pep Guardiola. “Usually a player has to slow down to see a pass, but Kevin sees it at full speed. When one player has 80-90 percent intensity and the ability to see passes, they are more relaxed than those with 40 percent intensity. He's exceptional.»
Guardiola says De Bruyne's vision and keen awareness of what's going on around him is still intact when he's actually moving at twice the speed of a normal opponent. After constantly playing in his garden or at the local park before joining the team at the age of six, this sixth sense seemed to manifest itself every time De Bruyne rose to a new level, whether it was when he started training. with a Genk senior team at 17 or regularly starring in the Bundesliga and now the Premier League.
“He got upset when he saw something other players didn’t see,” said David Huebert , former captain of Genk. “Then he would give them solutions and tell them to do certain runs to get them in the right position. Kevin wasn't just talking. He did it on the field. He spoke with his feet and mouth. We were soon enamored with him.”
De Bruyne's performance on Saturday again made audiences drool.
Alan Shearer, Premier League goalscoring record holder, says De Bruyne could make it to any team in the world and called the prospect of playing with him a «dream» for any striker.
Match of the Day host Gary Lineker agreed that as a striker he would be the only Premier League player you would most like to have on your team. Jamie Redknapp of Sky Sports added: “Every time Kevin De Bruyne gets the ball, he knows where he wants the ball to go next. He is the best passer I have seen in the Premier League. Genius.»
Kevin De Bruyne's special quality is that he can see transmissions even at full speed, «Unlike from most players,” says Pep Guardiola. Photo: Getty Images/James Gill
De Bruyne himself immediately pointed to the advantage of playing with high-scoring scorers, especially Sergio Aguero and now of course Haaland, who convert the chances he creates so reliably. «It's the combination of me doing good things and scoring against teammates — I'm blessed,» he said. “Of course I'm proud. I don't compare myself to others. I just try to do my best.”
Comparisons are inevitable, however, and for de Bruyne they look pretty good. He is the fastest player in Premier League history to complete 100 assists, but comparing him only to those who have played enough games to reach that tally doesn't do him justice.
A more interesting comparison is the number games to assist ratio and if we then make 50 assists a qualifying criterion, the top 10 table will be much more revealing. This also includes the likes of Christian Eriksen (3.52 assists), Thierry Henry (3.49), Mesut Ozil (3.41), Dennis Bergkamp (3.35), David Silva (3.32), David Beckham (3.31) and, most interestingly, of all. , Eric Cantona (2.79). Indeed, it's the fickle Frenchman who comes closest to De Bruyne's (2.37 assists), while Fabregas is third at 3.15.
But the final score remains the same. De Bruyne is the undisputed assist king in the Premier League and with a new scoring monarch soon to be crowned, it's easy to see why some seasoned referees think this could be Manchester City's best side to date.
Assists in the Premier League. — total Premier League games — game ratio/transfer ratio
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