Manchester City supporters are ecstatic about the impending return of midfield dynamo Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian suffered a hamstring injury earlier this season and will return in the coming months. While fans will be delighted with the idea of the player’s return, manager Pep Guardiola may face a major tactical quandary.

Guardiola made an unexpected change when City lost De Bruyne so early in the season. The Spaniard deployed Argentine striker Julian Alvarez as an attacking midfielder in front of goalkeeper Erling Haaland. While many supporters thought this was a risk, the pairing paid off when Alvarez and Haaland collaborated to send Premier League defenders to their knees. With De Bruyne likely to return, it will be intriguing to see if Guardiola trusts his youthful combination or reverts to his old ways.

Kevin De Bruyne is likely to return to Pep Guardiola’s side with a fresh headache

Kevin De Bruyne would never be benched by any manager in the world. The Belgian midfielder has established himself as one of the world’s top playmakers at the present. De Bruyne and rookie Erling Haaland lit the Premier League on fire during Manchester City’s 2022/23 season. While everyone expected the two to take up right where they left off, preparations had to be scrapped due to Kevin De Bruyne’s hamstring injury, which kept him out for months. Pep Guardiola took a significant gamble by moving Julian Alvarez from his customary number nine spot to next to Bernardo Silva.

While many people believe Guardiola is deploying Alvarez as a midfielder, the comment has two meanings. The Albiceleste is now operating as a second striker between Bernardo Silva and Erling Haaland.

However, unlike normal second strikers, the Argentine does not run in deep and instead makes his way into the box to supply the ball. Julian Alvarez has benefited greatly from the experiment, scoring eleven goals in fifteen appearances as a second striker this season.

With things going so well for Pep Guardiola, it will be intriguing to watch if the Spaniard reverts to his old methods when Kevin De Bruyne returns.

Is it finally time for Manchester City to move on from Kevin De Bruyne?

With things going so well for the Cityzens, one would wonder if the Belgian midfielder is really needed. The player has piqued the interest of Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, and Manchester City could take advantage of the situation. Things aren’t quite that straightforward.

De Bruyne is an important player for the Cityzens, and selling such a major name from the squad makes no sense. While it is true that the athlete has become more prone to injuries recently, dismissing him from the club is not the best approach.

De Bruyne’s stature over the years will force any manager to include him in his starting lineup right away. However, sacrificing Julian Alvarez to reinsert De Bruyne back into the team sheet would be harsh to the Argentine, who has made the most of his chances in De Bruyne’s absence.