Pep Guardiola loves a tease over his team selection, and the 9-0 lead over Burton Albion allowed him free rein.
As journalists tried to prise snippets of information for him ahead of the second leg, he revealed – unusually - that Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden would play and that Benjamin Mendy would be in the squad.
And he dropped in another little conundrum when he was asked about possibly playing players out of position to test them, or to experiment.
“I know them quite well, I know where they can play,” he began. “Most of them are going to play in their positions, maybe one - but almost everyone in his position.”
That "maybe one" turned out to be De Bruyne, asked to play a deeper position, sitting in the Fernandinho role, while Phil Foden and Fabian Delph roved forward.
It ran the risk of making his Belgian ace grumpy, just as it seemed he was when Roberto Martinez picked him in a deep-lying role at the World Cup last summer.
De Bruyne refrained from publicly complaining about that switch during the tournament, but when he was finally released from being a disciplined anchor, he responded with a match-winning display and superb goal as the Red Devils sank Brazil 2-1 in the quarter-finals.
He was unlikely to moan about Guardiola’s experiment at the Pirelli Stadium, and many think he could finish his career, in a few years’ time, as a deep-lying playmaker.
He underlined that with a dreamy pass to open up the Burton defence, playing in Riyad Mahrez to lay the only goal on a plate for Sergio Aguero.
For now, De Bruyne remains City’s dynamic midfield star, a player who is combative and dogged without the ball and often devastating with it.
Only necessity would force Guardiola to take him out of the number eight or ten roles he plays so well – playing where he does, the gaffer gets a zealous defender as well as a dangerous attacker.
No doubt, at Burton, Guardiola wanted to see how De Bruyne did in the role – with Fernandinho as his only true defensive midfielder, the more options the manager has, the better.
But when Guardiola was asked about it, he suggested that the player still needed match sharpness and might be more involved by playing deeper.
“I thought maybe Burton play 4-1-4-1 and I want to see him with a lot of touches,” said the manager.
“He needs to be in contact with the ball, especially the commitment. He was in a position to be aggressive, his training and his attitude, he was a long time injured and it's not one or two days fit, he needs the minutes, he played 90 minutes and now 65 or 70.
“We need him, and step by step he's coming back.”
edgarsiakacha
2
Kevin is one of the intelligent epl player.
United Kingdom6877317
1
Kev dB we love you at city you will get stronger and better you will bounce back we belive in you such a big talent mcfc
Kyng_rushii
2
He must not change his position because it will hinder him from playing at his best because he won’t be as free as playing an A mid role
Licbcdenou
2
never seen before
Levychinyuka09
1
The DB best one
CityMan
0
Henderson>De Bruyne
😂😂😂😂 this actually gave me a good laugh bro
City12345
0
Henderson>De Bruyne
Henderson
City12345
0
Henderson>De Bruyne
Ok😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
ficcdenp
2
De bruyne the Best
Maxpower
3
KDB can be reach City history faster than anyone if he gets back to 100% I don't hate teams because they spend money, yes I know teams can't buy history but City is making their own history with time, and with Aguero and Silva leading this history KDB can catch up with them with his magical passing.
Teteimrty
1
my favourite player , after messi
my favorite player,after NO ONE. ......
Yezdlopsty
1
He is still the best play maker in EPL
Diaaclmpru
2
He and Sergio Aguero are my favorite in man city
Muyasan120
0
We rely so heavily on KDB and Fernandinho that when they were absent the PL may well have slipped away .
kkkkkkk very funny boss maybe dinho not KDB
tusadklpst
0
my favourite player , after messi
My favourite after ronaldo
ViscaCityzen
0
my favourite player , after messi
same for me
heyaistu
0
Hope to see him at full potential
Baarca
3
my favourite player , after messi
mailbox
6
Still best in the league.
Brightons
0
Henderson>De Bruyne
Perfectbr
2
Undisputed best Midfielder in the league with only 2 starts, idolo
memory4
0
KDB should improve his game . He was terrible against Huddersfield.
Karenen
1
We rely so heavily on KDB and Fernandinho that when they were absent the PL may well have slipped away .
jealousyh
0
Winning the league that's what matters the most.
Dirk41
0
In a new position , De Brunye will never let us down.
Bennyta
3
De Brunye could play somany positions . What a great midfielder!
moonlights
1
This is the difference between Pep and other headcoaches. Pep knows how to make the change.
eeasy
1
Nice change. Unpredictable lineup.
oldjustjuo
0
This is good . This will make opponents cant predict and focus on Pep's team selections.
Treykiss
0
Pep is talented . His team selection makes others cant predict.
lopsided
0
De Brunye is so good . He can play this new position well.
translation
0
Pep has so many good imaginations about his team selections.😂
Anthonyer
0
Pep is a talented headcoach. Just look dont judge.😂
Loganew
1
Just follow Pep .He will help us win.