Nedum Onuoha has claimed that Manchester City could be getting the “hungriest version” of Kevin De Bruyne after his return from a long-term hamstring injury.
Recently, John Giles claimed that the Belgian skipper looked as devastating as he has ever looked during his instrumental cameo against Newcastle United.
Earlier this month, Nedum Onuoha shared that he had a chat with the treble-winner, who revealed that he was “chomping at the bit” to return to the pitch after suffering a long-term injury.
Nedum Onuoha says Manchester City could be getting the “hungriest version” of Kevin De Bruyne
Since his return, De Bruyne has managed to register a goal and two assists in three appearances off the bench.
Now, Nedum Onuoha believes Kevin De Bruyne could have more fire in his belly than he has ever had, which would be delightful news for Manchester City.
“I think the fact that [Manchester City] are bringing back probably the hungriest version of Kevin De Bruyne that we have seen in years, which is crazy considering how successful they’ve been in years gone by, means a lot”, he told Sports Mole during an interview.
Onuoha continued, “He’s still one of the best players in the Premier League and you could see that from the moment he arrived back on the field [against Newcastle]. The way he moves, the way he sees the game, some of the things he can do with and without the ball at his feet, he sees a different game.”
“For [Pep] Guardiola, the team’s done very, very well to this point and they could still have gone on and won things if Kevin hadn’t come back, but the boy is back and as you saw at Newcastle, he’s got something there which is very tough to defend against.”
Nedum Onuoha also explained why the return of Kevin De Bruyne could play a huge role in helping Pep Guardiola’s men go all the way in the title race this season.
“I think his know-how about how to push on in the second half of the season and his desire now to be back fit and healthy and available for the team is a huge boost. City are getting a youthful spirit delivered with a very, very experienced and talented player, so I think he’s a huge part of [Manchester City’s] run-in. It doesn’t guarantee anything but he does give them an option which most teams could only dream of.”
The return of Kevin De Bruyne could give his teammates a huge lift as well
Only time will tell whether Kevin De Bruyne is as hungry as Nedum Onuoha believes he could be to show why he and his Manchester City side are one of the best in the business.
But in our view, it is also worth exploring how the five-time Premier League winner’s recent return from injury could give his teammates at the Etihad Stadium a massive lift.
Having played without their talismanic midfielder for most of the season, De Bruyne’s return may instil the belief in the side that they have a true game-changer on their hands, who could singlehandedly decide the title race once again.
To add to that, it would be fair to assume that those in the Manchester City dressing room must also be fully aware that they now have a player at their disposal once again who knows what winning takes better than most.
A reinvigorated De Bruyne could motivate his teammates to maintain their high standards from previous years as well, which is why his return feels much more significant than just towards factors on the pitch.
