Man City looked back to their best on Saturday afternoon against Crystal Palace.
After falling 2-0 behind at the Etihad Stadium, Pep Guardiola’s men stormed back to win the contest 5-2 with Alan Shearer full of praise for the role Kevin de Bruyne played in the victory as the Belgian received a standing ovation for his display from the Etihad faithful.
The 33-year-old ran the show in Manchester, while providing his team with a goal and an assist as the midfielder looks to bring his time with the Premier League champions to an end on a high before leaving Man City this summer.
In addition to De Bruyne, another Man City star captured attention with his performance and TNT Sports pundit Joe Cole was stunned by what he saw at the Etihad.
James McAtee’s celebration shocked Joe Cole
James McAtee is expected to leave Man City this summer, but that did not stop Guardiola from handing the Englishman an opportunity against Crystal Palace, which the 22-year-old grabbed with both hands.
During the 82 minutes the midfielder was on the pitch, McAtee impressed the Etihad crowd and Erling Haaland on his way to scoring City’s fourth goal, which the English talent took in composed fashion.
That might not have surprised many people due to the talent the 22-year-old has shown in the past, but what stunned Cole was the Man City star’s celebration after he did a backflip upon scoring his goal against Crystal Palace.
“What a celebration he has by the way, the little backflip,” Cole stated on The Dressing Room Podcast. “I was not expecting that. I was not expecting that. Listen, I was there and I love going to Man City, it’s a great place to go and watch the football.”
It remains to be seen what the future holds for McAtee at Man City as the midfielder needs more minutes in order to develop his game with the next step in his career set to be a crucial one.
What next for James McAtee at Man City
Man City hope to bring in at least £20m for McAtee this summer, which would be a good deal for a player with only one year remaining on his contract and who has only played 811 minutes throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
McAtee is often praised by his Man City teammates as it is clear that the 22-year-old has the ability to play in the Premier League.
However, competition at the Manchester club is fierce, and that will only increase once this summer’s business has concluded.
It is best for all parties that the midfielder finds a new club this summer, as the Englishman is only delaying the inevitable should he stay at the Etihad Stadium next season.
