A Manchester City legend tried to do all he could in his final Manchester derby | OneFootball

Kevin De Bruyne played the entire game during Manchester City’s nil-all draw with Manchester United yesterday. He tried to lift and inspire his team in what was his final Manchester derby appearance. Although De Bruyne put himself about, he did run out of legs during the game’s closing stages. The Manchester City legend couldn’t have done anymore to inspire his team although it was clear to see that the legs that have carried him to such remarkable feats on the pitch just can’t carry him as they once did.

Kevin De Bruyne lined up in a more advanced attacking role yesterday. In the game’s early stages, he did lead City’s high press with the energy we have seen typify his play throughout his career. De Bruyne had two shots of note with his left foot throughout the game, although they were both straight at Andre Onana in the Manchester United goal who gathered them both with ease. We saw one quality De Bruyne ball from the right wing in the opening stages of the second half as well. There were moments in De Bruyne’s performance but his performance summed up what he now is as a player.

As the game wore on Kevin De Bruyne faded out of the contest. His legs just cannot carry him through a full 90 minutes. As he struggled so did Manchester City. City held on over the game’s closing stages to leave Old Trafford with a point. It was a performance that showed that City’s ageing players just can’t do what they once could. De Bruyne’s performance typified this but it wasn’t a lack of effort that stopped him from having a bigger impact on yesterday’s match.

Ruben Dias is savouring the final moments with Kevin De Bruyne as a teammate and that’s what we should all do as the curtain comes down on De Bruyne’s Manchester City career.

Speaking with mancity.com after yesterday’s derby draw Ruben Dias said that he is savouring his time with De Bruyne as a teammate. The Portuguese international is also keen to help De Bruyne depart Manchester City with silverware. Speaking about De Bruyne, Dias said: “It’s not the best news to receive, as you can imagine. More than the player he is, he’s a friend and he’s a very special person to all of us, the club and the fans.”

“Personally, to all of us, right now it’s a time to savour every single second that we can have with him. What he’s done is special, there are so many adjectives to classify it. I’ll remain it as special.”

“Enjoy every moment, we are still in three competitions. Try and make it as best as we can, because he deserves it. Personally ,as a member of this team , I want it for him more than for anything else. And he deserves it. So savour every moment.”

Ruben Dias is right. It is time to savour Kevin De Bruyne’s final moments as a Manchester City player. De Bruyne tried all he could to inspire and lift his team to victory at Old Trafford yesterday. It just wasn’t to be as the game ended with both teams sharing a point. Come the final whistle De Bruyne shared a special moment when the travelling Manchester City support. Moments such as that will be savoured although we may not see the magic we associate with Kevin De Bruyne as often as we have become accustomed to over the season’s closing stages.