Welcome to The DeBrief, a Sky Sports column in which Adam Bate uses a mix of data and opinion to think about some of the most important stories from the latest Premier League matches. This week:
⬇️ The decline of De Bruyne at Man City💪 Munoz characterizes Palace Endeavour🔶 Bellegarde Transformed at Wolves
The sight of Kevin De Bruyne congratulates Mohamed Salah after the 2-0 home defeat of Manchester City against Liverpool felt like a moment. Perhaps the two excellent Premier League players from the past decade is separated by just one year by birth but a gap in shape.
De Bruyne was the one who was used to illuminating this fixture in the past. Salah had never won a Premier League match in City before. In April 2023 it was not Salah who produced the goal and the assist. The same happened in 2020.
As long ago as 2017, he played 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.”
This time the big moments, just like the game, passed through De Bruyne. Two passages of playing stood out. Late in the first half there was a wild shot, the act of a man out of ideas. Then came the sight he was abandoned because he could not prevent an angle at the hour.
It was a bit sad to see a real Premier League that struggles a lot. At the age of 33, with the focus of the city that turns to the rebuilding, how many special versions are there in the tank? His status now seems to have taken. He didn't even take it off the bank against Real Madrid.
In the Premier League he was used sparingly by Pep Guardiola, with only 57 percent of the competitions for which he was available. In the previous nine seasons, that figure dropped only once below 70 percent – in 2018/19 when he sustained two knee injuries.
Although he could not do this against Liverpool, it is worth pointing out that De Bruyne can still create. In fact, in terms of opportunities that are created per 90 minutes, this season he is at the top of all Premier League players when he comes to the field.
The problem is that De Bruyne was also a physical strength in his splendor, a powerhouse of a player who could run through the opposition and was too smart for them. It was part of what made him so good, but he has now become a luxury player who has left aspect.
Guardiola once claimed famous that he was not a coach for the tackles, but De Bruyne was that player. He makes fewer tackles than ever before, not competing like he once did. Despite playing fewer minutes per appearance, his average speeds have still fallen.
In a better team than this version of City, De Bruyne would be a luxury that is worth woven to, to build himself around him to get the best out of his talent for as long as possible. But with City so bad now, his deterioration reflects that of this once big side.
Munoz typifies Palace Endeavour
“If you define a profile that fits the Premier League, it is Daniel Munoz,” Crystal Palace -Baas Oliver Glasner claimed on Saturday. “He is the prototype of that because he can run up and down and always is ambitious. He wants to improve and I really enjoyed his goal.”
The Colombian wing-back produced a fierce finish to seal the 2-0 victory from his side to Fulham. “He stopped the pass, looked for the cross and luckily he found no one because he went one-on-one and he got the finish,” explains Glasner.
It was one of the five details in the opposition box that Munoz had in Craven Cottage. No Premier League defender had more at the weekend, but that is not that unusual. Josko Gvardiol is the only defender with more details in the opposition box this season.
The Munoz engine is remarkable because Wing -back is a very demanding position and not everyone is able to do it well – as Ruben Amorim discovers at Manchester United. He is one of only six players this season to make overlapping runs for a century.
It helps Munoz to have an attacking impact for Palace, even if the ball does not come on its way and buys vital space for his teammates, but he is also a diligent defender. Combination in the extreme, only veteran Everton -midfielder Idrissa Gueye has made more tackles.
Munoz is a bargain at Genk in January last year and is a real specialist in his position and he can also claim that he helped the season of Palace. It was his late equalizer against Newcastle who seemed to shift the momentum under Glasner.
At that time, they had one win of 13 Premier League matches, but won five of the next nine, the only loss that this season is in one match that Munoz missed by suspension. Glasner does not want to be again without his 'prototype' player.
Bellegarde transformed on wolves
At the beginning of the month, suspended with Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes, Vitor Pereira turned to Jean-Ricner Bellegarde to partner in midfield against Aston Villa. Wolves had lost four in a row. “He will do his best,” Pereira told Sky Sports.
Two hours later and Bellegarde was the player of the game, after he had scored the opening goal in a 2-0 win. Pereira was then stumbling much more. “For me, Bellegarde was a fantastic surprise, he was excellent today.” He was excellent again in Bournemouth.
The 26-year-old Frenchman had made way for Gomes to return to Liverpool, but helped to return the bank's match at Anfield, where Wolves came to save a point. Restored against the cherries, he played a key role in the only purpose of the game.
Matheus Cunha was the difference, but Bellegarde has been a revelation. He was far from a crowd of favorite under Gary O'Neil, often led to the flanks, but Pereira's preference for his broad attackers to play inside the pockets, much more suits him.
After he was impressed by a deeper role against Villa, he seemed to the right in Bournemouth, did his defensive work, saved possession and helped to get wolves on the field. He was scoring again almost early and almost finished a movement he started.
When Gomes, during a booking, was withdrawn during the interval to prevent a repetition of his red card against Arsenal that the figures laid, Pereira Jorgen could send beach Larsen in the front and Bellegarde back to the left midfield. A flexible friend.
Wolves had to keep Cunha in the transfer window and they are also reinforced by new signing sessions. But making more of the talent at the club would also be vital to maintain their Premier League status. The transformation of Bellegarde is a big bonus.
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