In 25 years, when the name Kevin De Bruyne comes up in Manchester City interviews, they will talk about him as one of their greatest players ever and a major role in the success of the glory years.
I believe he was the best midfield player in the Premier League for a good five years. Over time, supporters will think about him and say: “You should have seen him play.”
He suffered a first setback at Chelsea when Jose Mourinho sold him to Wolfsburg. He had the talent, but Jose clearly felt that he did not have the mentality, but when he returned to England, Manchester City saw a player who had everything.
Forgive me, but as a former midfielder, I believe that unless you have the right balance in the middle of your pitch, you won nothing.
In recent years, Manchester City has had a number of really excellent world class midfielders in Fernandinho, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Bernardo Silva and now Rodri, but De Bruyne is perhaps the best of them all.
For me he has been world class. He could have played for Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris St Germain or another team that you want to mention.
A huge athlete, extremely dynamic, he had an eye for a pass, an eye for a goal. He must have been a dream to have the place.
Pep Guardiola would have realized very quickly when he walked through the doors to the Etihad how happy he was to have him.
A constant memory for me is from De Bruyne who hits the ball in the first time in the room between the six-year box and near Post for Sergio Aguero to attack. He would happen to his defender and score. Like all 'world shelves', Aguero instinctively knew which De Bruyne areas would deliver, and he did it with infallible accuracy. Sometimes not to stop.
However, the signs of the intensity of De Bruyne were there last year. Last season's figure in only 18 Premier League matches when he picked up fairly long injuries, it was all normal for a man who is now 33.
Great players do not lose their technology, but they can lose that half intensity.
City has been a big scalp to take the Premier League, they have been the biggest for several years. Every team sees them as their cup final and everyone wants to pop into it when they play the city. It is very easy to overlook all the hard yards that these super talented players have to enter every week to fight that, but it catches everyone – ultimately.
You no longer have the elasticity in your muscles and you are more susceptible to the grab of injuries. Whether it's the small problems or serious muscle tears.
He was full of beans in Bournemouth last week, but unfortunately at his age that intensity cannot be achieved every week. However, how often can we say that he has been the difference for Manchester City with his cute by pass or spectacular goal?
He will leave the city, go to a lesser competition, if nowhere is as demanding as ours, and, whether for the MLS of Saudi Arabia, he will still be a star. Two more or three years they will explain to him a 'worldie'.
Whatever he does, he certainly left his mark on our game. I have nothing but admiration for him.
No matter how difficult this determining conversation will have been for Pep, I am sure De Bruyne would have made it easy.
You do not become that level of player without first being honest with yourself. If things are not going well, the very best players always look in the mirror first and that is what De Bruyne has done again.
Tarkowski earned a red – but he is not a criminal
If you were looking high and low, you would have trouble finding an ex-professional who did not see James Tarkowski's challenge on Alexis Mac Allister as something other than a red card. The fact that it was a yellow is again until the referee standards, not understanding what dangerous game is for them.
I actually think that Tarkowski is an honest player. He is big, he is powerful and aggressive. One that you would like with you in the trenches.
He found himself the hero in the last derby game at Goodison, so you can imagine that he was full of emotion, full of passion, for the night in Anfield.
It was not a criminal offense and luckily Mac Allister was not seriously injured, but Tarkowski exceeded the goal and can count his blessings.
I am the last person who judge, because I was entangled in challenges in many derby games. Whether you like it or not, supporters still enjoy the physical side of the game and that 'will never change' in Merseyside Derbies.
The resulting threats for Tarkowski and his wife we hear from are unfortunately, the disadvantage of modern society. You don't want to give it a broadcasting time, but social media are part of the life of a football player that they now have to deal with.
Positive, you could see what value Arne Slot had placed on a derby victory. David Moyes has recently received a tune from Everton and they would have felt a vulnerability for Liverpool after their defeats for PSG and Newcastle United. Mikel Arteta would have looked in the hope of the same, but that victory must have been a por in the eyes and Arsenal.
It will be interesting if Everton can find the same intensity to go again and Liverpool a favor against Arsenal on Saturday.
There has been talk of the Liverpool season that runs empty after their Champions League exit and the last defeat of the Carabao Cup, but we should never lose the eye that winning the competition is the ultimate prize.
Teams can be lucky and win cups, but a competition title is the prize for nine months dealing with loss of shape, injuries, disappointments and character tests. You don't win because of happiness. Winning that trophy is a good test of a team. It is never a consolation prize and, without a doubt, the most important trophy that you can win.
Southampton must blame
If Southampton is banned by Tottenham on Sunday, this is the start of what inevitable looks: the three parties that were promoted last summer return to the championship.
The gap in quality, the gap in financial figures is quite clear. But in the past two seasons we have seen teams such as Southampton and Burnley previously only had one way to play. In this way Burnley was degraded and it also seems to be doing it on Southampton.
That style is what the best teams do better than you. A team that comes from the lower competition must adjust more and not just stick to one obvious game plan.
If you manage one of these parties and called Arne Slot on a Friday, Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta or Unai Emery to “How do you want us to play tomorrow?” They would say: “Can you please play from behind because we are really good at pressing so that we can steal the ball from you and score goals …”
You don't say 'happy to oblige'. You must be more unpredictable. Can Southampton be happy that those principles have earned them 10 Premier League points?
Perhaps they will be encouraged to believe that the total could increase against traces. There is no way to dress that it has been a very disappointing season for Ange Postecoglou. He is on a downward spiral that hard to come out. When you start to fall out with the die-hard support that goes away to view you, it is always a dangerous game.
My choice for the season manager
Nuno Espirito Santo has done fantastic work this season and I understand that he can call for the case manager of the season, but I am one in force that the man who wins the main trophy must be praised the best manager and I hope the Arne Slot is (as I mentioned above).
Nottingham Forest is a pragmatic outfit that makes life difficult for everyone they are confronted with. The Saturday match with Aston Villa will be intriguing, especially since Unai Emery knows that with Paris St Germain to come, the qualification for the Champions League can best be served via a top five in the Premier League.
He will have to make the very best of his talented team about these completely different challenges in the following two games. Nuno's Forest first stands in the way and Unai will be more than aware that they can dig great results from home.
But for me, Arne Slot will earn the best manager more if Liverpool stays on course.
I said he entered a dream job last summer. A Liverpool team inherit that just had to be adjusted, he went very well and played the cool.
But what I really like to see is that, just like everyone who has succeeded, there are now two Arne slots. The cool head if everything goes well and the aggressive competitor with the angry head.
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