Pep Guardiola response to Kevin de Bruyne speak volumes after thunderous cheers

Pep Guardiola couldn't hide his admiration for Kevin de Bruyne, who has announced he will leave Manchester City at the end of the season, after the Belgian inspired a comeback win over Crystal Palace

Pep Guardiola hailed a Kevin de Bruyne masterclass after the Belgian inspired a Manchester City comeback in one of his final games at the Etihad.

City now have just three Premier League home games left before De Bruyne departs and they looked to be heading for a defeat in their latest fixture when goals from Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards gave Crystal Palace a two-goal lead inside 21 minutes.

But De Bruyne, 33, fired home a free-kick and led a City revival that also featured goals from Omar Marmoush, Mateo Kovacic, James McAtee and Nico O’Reilly.

And Guardiola declared: “Kevin is free without pain and completely different. That was the Kevin we have known for many years. His performance is what he has done in many, many games. I know that he can deliver. He was so, so clever. He helped a lot to win that game - Kevin, with a free-kick, changed the moment. He was fantastic.

“He has a unique talent, a vision in the pass and when the players are upfront and Kevin has the ball, they know they can run because the ball will be delivered.

“The gratitude I have to him is huge. No-one can do what Kevin has done.”

De Bruyne was given a thunderous ovation when he was substituted towards the end of City’s 5-2 win and is savouring his last moments at a stadium he has graced for almost ten years.

He said: “I want to go away with a Champions League for this team because they deserve it. We've been in the Champions League for the nine, ten years that I've been here so I hope we can do that for the team next year and I'll just try to play good football like I've always done.”

And his manager clearly believes City are finally getting somewhere near the best, saying: “If you see the chances that we had we could have scored eight or nine … easy. We scored five but I remember three chances for McAtee, one for Kevin, two for Omar. That is the way we have done it for many years and the way we have to do it.

And Guardiola was full of praise for one of his younger players and for one of his senior players. The City manager said: “Ilkay Gundogan was extraordinary today and I know the quality James McAtee has in the final third. He scored one goal, he could have scored four because he has the sense to arrive in the box.”

And Guardiola is now looking for a grandstand finish to a disappointing season, saying: “Now we have two days off and the players must be mentally rested, prepare for four or five days for Goodison and then an important week with Aston Villa and the FA Cup. I think we will be ready.

“The players are exceptional. We didn't find the spark to lift the players for many months but you cannot win all the time and with the season we have done, other teams would be 10th or 12th, I promise you.

“The Premier League speaks for itself. It’s not perfect but it's in our hands for the last six games to qualify for the CL next season.”

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