LET’S preface this article with a simple statement: Kevin De Bruyne (£6.7m) is one of the best midfielders of his generation and one of the greatest players to ever grace the Premier League.
It’s because of this reputation that Dream Team gaffers hold the Belgian to an immensely high standard.
All things considered, he is living up to lofty expectations this season having banked 135 points to date.
At the time of writing, Bruno Fernandes (£5.9m) is the only midfielder with a higher tally and his lead is a slender one at four points.
That being said, it can’t be denied that De Bruyne is enduring something of a lean spell of late.
He’s mustered 12 points in eight outings since the start of Game Week 16 – Manchester City have played ten fixtures in that time frame.
During this time, he’s averaged 1.5 points-per-game which is represents a significant drop-off from his healthy season average of 4.8.
The 31-year-old has provided two assists during this relatively barren patch so it’s not like his owners have been totally starved of goal involvements but, given his price, his recent returns are a cause for concern.
Contrast De Bruyne’s form with the aforementioned Fernandes and Riyad Mahrez (£5.7m).
Man United’s Portuguese playmaker has earned a whopping 72 points since the start of Game Week 16 while City’s Algerian winger has added 70 points to his total.
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Any Dream Team gaffers that replaced De Bruyne with either of these options last month would have been rewarded with massive gains.
It’s only natural that De Bruyne’s backers will now be debating the best course of action going forward.
A decent showing from the strawberry-blonde creator in tonight’s mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash at the Emirates between Pep Guardiola’s men and Arsenal would likely take him back to the top of the midfield rankings.
And history is on De Bruyne’s side – he’s rarely kept quiet for long.
His tally of 16 assists in all competitions so far in 2022/23 would be freakish for most players but it’s what fans have come to expect from a player whose crossing and eye for a killer pass is unparalleled.
He’s only scored three goals this season which represents a decline from last term when he scored 19, his best-ever campaign in that regard.
However, only Kieran Trippier (£6.6m) has earned more Star Man awards (seven) than De Bruyne’s six.
This conundrum is affecting 45.5% of Dream Team managers – only Trippier and Erling Haaland (£8.8m) are more popular currently.
Cue a classic De Bruyne masterclass this evening…
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
