Manchester City may have made the perfect start to their Premier League campaign, but there was still cause for concern during their 3-0 win over Burnley as Kevin De Bruyne hobbled off in the first half.
A first-half brace from Erling Haaland and a second-half strike from Rodri saw Pep Guardiola’s side cruise to a comfortable victory at Turf Moor, although Burnley did pose a consistent threat throughout the match. However, the Cityzens got the job done with little fuss, despite missing several key players through injury.
De Bruyne ended up being one of those players despite starting the match, coming off after just 23 minutes to be replaced by Mateo Kovacic. The Belgian looked dejected as he left the field, cursing his recent injury luck, and perhaps knowing that he may face an extended spell on the sidelines.
Speaking after the game, Guardiola admitted that De Bruyne had suffered yet another hamstring injury. The midfielder endured a similar injury during last season’s Champions League final, and is facing an extended spell in the treatment room.
Guardiola said: “He was injured again unfortunately. It is the same place and position as the Champions League [final] and he will be out for a while.”
De Bruyne has spent much of pre-season trying to recover from the hamstring issue that saw his Champions League final end early, with the Burnley clash being his first start of the new season.
If he is set to face a similar spell on the sidelines, it could be several months before we see De Bruyne fully fit. The Champions League final took place on 10 June, meaning it took the Belgian just over two months to return to the starting lineup.
This will undoubtedly come as a major blow to the Spanish coach, with De Bruyne’s influence not easy to replace. However, in the likes of Kovacic, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden, they do have options in central midfield.
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The 32-year-old was an unused substitute in all three of Manchester City‘s friendlies this summer, and could only manage a substitute appearance in the Community Shield, missing a crucial penalty in the shootout.
It was perhaps a risk for Guardiola to start De Bruyne given his injury woes, one that the City boss will now have to pay for in the coming weeks.
De Bruyne has suffered injuries at the Etihad in past years, but few have kept him out for more than a couple of games at a time. His most serious injury with the Sky Blues saw him miss seven matches with a hamstring problem in early 2021.
Given that De Bruyne is now 32-years-old, it’s hardly surprising that fitness concerns are becoming more regular as years of intense physical pressure takes its toll. Guardiola will be hoping this is merely another blip, rather than the beginning of a worrying trend.
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