The great Kevin De Bruyne’s decline at Manchester City was evident in their 2-0 defeat to Liverpool

The sight of Kevin De Bruyne congratulating Mohamed Salah after Manchester City’s 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool felt like a moment. The Perhaps the two outstanding Premier League players of the past decade separated by just one year by birth but a chasm in form.

De Bruyne was the one accustomed to lighting up this fixture in the past. Salah had never even won a Premier League game at City before this. In April 2023, it was De Bruyne not Salah who produced the goal and the assist. The same happened in 2020.

As long ago as 2017, he starred in a 5-0 win. “He was absolutely fantastic in the big moments in the game,” Gary Neville told Sky Sports that day. “The first goal is a wonderful pass. The second is the biggest moment in the game. Just a brilliant cross.”