Man City boss Pep Guardiola reveals Kevin De Bruyne plan after Newcastle performance

Kevin De Bruyne returned to Premier League action for Manchester City with a goal and an assist in an impressive cameo against Newcastle.

Following his injury problems, Manchester City will be extra cautious when it comes to Kevin De Bruyne’s comeback. Pep Guardiola wants his playmaker healthy enough to play a number of ninety-minute games by the end of the season.

With 21 minutes remaining and City behind Newcastle, De Bruyne made a spectacular return to the Premier League at St. James’ Park. He scored once and set up Oscar Bobb’s injury-time victory.

After sustaining a serious hamstring injury against Burnley on the first weekend of the season, the Belgian has only made two appearances in the Premier League this season, with one goal and two assists. Last Saturday, De Bruyne returned to duty as a substitute against Huddersfield; however, prior to his pivotal late-game cameo, he was once again among the Tyneside replacements.

Guardiola acknowledges that, in an effort to increase the 32-year-old’s endurance, City is approaching him more cautiously after he sustained injuries at Turf Moor in August and in the Champions League final in May.

“Kevin has a lot of experience. In my second season here he was all year injured, and has had muscular problems after that,” explained Guardiola.

“He managed perfectly after, but last season in the Champions League final he was out and after Burnley he was five months out so we want to take care of him in the right steps. We have to work harder and prepare harder than in the past because he has aged one more year. He’s not 22 any more.

“The older you get, the more you have to take care of yourself. But hopefully he can handle it because he has done it in the past. The target is to play 90 minutes, 90, 90 in a row and I don’t know when it is going to happen but he’s intelligent and hopefully he will manage it soon.”

De Bruyne’s match-turning impact against Newcastle certainly fired a shot across the bows of City’s title challengers and Guardiola hailed his impact on the game.

“His impact for the last 30 minutes – the goal, the assist and how many times he arrived to the byline for the crosses,” he stated.

“He’s a legend and a unique player. Five months is a long period, so he’s had a lot on his mind. Hopefully, in the second half of the season, he can help us stick around until the very end.

“He’s a player with more room and flexibility to make those passes and follow his instincts in the heat of the moment. We need runners when Kevin has the ball, and Oscar performed admirably. The assist goes above and beyond the goal.