Fans believe ‘Pep wants Arsenal to win title’ after ‘tactically’ benching Kevin De Bruyne

On Feb 5, 2023

Manchester City fans have hit out at manager Pep Guardiola and questioned whether he wants Arsenal to win the Premier League title after he benched Kevin De Bruyne for ‘tactical reasons’.

The Belgian midfielder is arguably City’s best player and remains one of the top talents in the Premier League and world football. However, despite City needing to make up ground on Arsenal in the title race, Guardiola deemed his side did not need De Bruyne from the start for their clash away against Tottenham.

Instead, forward Julian Alvarez was included in the attacking lineup, as well as Erling Haaland, as Guardiola looked to spring a surprise. Asked before the game whether De Bruyne’s omission was “purely tactical”, the City boss laughed as he replied: “Yeah, definitely.”

Fans were quick to criticise the team selection for City – who were also without Phil Foden due to illness. “No De Bruyne? Pep really wants Arsenal to win the league,” one fumed on Twitter.

Another added: “De Bruyne is on the bench, big call from Pep in a very big game after Arsenal losing yesterday, is like he wants Arteta to win the league.”

Guardiola has also lost key full-back Joao Cancelo since City’s last outing, after agreeing to sell the defender in a shock move to Bayern Munich on deadline day. One fan suggested De Bruyne could be next out the exit door, writing: “De Bruyne on the bench. Arsenal is about to get a deal on him this summer if Pep doesn’t want him.”

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Pep Guardiola admitted De Bruyne’s omission was purely for tactical reasons
(Image: Manchester City FC via Getty Ima)

City went into the match knowing a victory would close the gap on Arsenal following the Gunners’ shock defeat to Everton on Saturday. Quizzed whether this game was of greater importance due to Arsenal’s slip-up, Guardiola admitted he had given his lineup extra thought in the lead up to the game.

“Well I would say more focus will be on today than yesterday, of course when the team top of the league drops points,” he said. “But nothing changes, we have to do our job and that’s why all day I was thinking about what you have to do.”