Man City are going to have to replace the irreplaceable

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There was a sense of the inevitable break-up in Kevin De Bruyne’s announcement that he would be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season. No hysteria nor even that much fanfare for one of the greatest visionaries the Premier League has ever seen.

Had City’s season not collapsed into calamity towards the end of last year, it might have been different – as it is, it has long felt a nod to the natural order that some of their ageing stalwarts would pass on the baton. A European humbling at the feet of a lightning Kylian Mbappe sealed that fate.

As De Bruyne turned the game on its head against Crystal Palace, City were hit with another reality check. These moments of inspiration – the effortless free-kick, his carving up the defence for Omar Marmoush’s equaliser and assist for Mateo Kovacic’s goal – are utterly irreplaceable.

Vintage Kevin De Bruyne

The skipper with an incredible free-kick to pull a goal back for the hosts

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De Bruyne was also one of the few in the early stages when Palace dominated who looked capable of winning aerial duels. On a day when he wore the armband and was serenaded constantly by the fans to whom he is preparing to say goodbye, Pep Guardiola will struggle to find another leader like him.

Indeed this was not wholly a day to overlook his side’s shortcomings – there were even a few boos at 2-0.

The comeback was greater than the setback precisely because the latter was so hopelessly self-inflicted, City giving Eberechi Eze too much time and not tracking Ismaila Sarr for the first goal, before failing to do their homework on Palace’s set pieces.

In previous years the manner in which Oliver Glasner’s defence played out so coolly from the back in the opening 20 minutes would have been unthinkable. The Etihad aura died months ago and De Bruyne’s departure will make going there that little bit less daunting again.

The masterclass might not have happened had a disallowed second Eze goal not let City off the hook. That being said, no player on the pitch worked so tirelessly.

De Bruyne was serenaded as he left the pitch (Photo: Reuters)

You do not always get those hard yards from Erling Haaland, nor the guaranteed ingenuity from Phil Foden – both injured, on a day when City still smashed in five.

One particularly ludicrous stat – and it is no longer surprising that Ederson did his bit. He is the first goalkeeper in Premier League history to register four assists in a single season.

It ended as it should have – with a Belgian No 7 shirt held in the air by a City supporter. Whatever lies ahead off the pitch, attempting to replace De Bruyne is starting to feel futile.

This is an extract of The Score. Sign-up up here to receive the newsletter every Monday morning with The i Paper’s verdict on all 20 Premier League clubs

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