After a "acrimonious" greeting from Pep Guardiola, Kevin De Bruyne was "first down the tunnel" for Manchester City after their Boxing Day draw with Everton.
With just one victory in their previous 13 games following their 1-1 draw with the Toffees, Guardiola's mission of rebuilding this team appears to be getting more difficult, and many question whether the Spaniard has the stamina to achieve it.
De Bruyne was substituted in the 75th minute at the Etihad, but he didn't have much of an impact and left for the dressing rooms as soon as the final whistle blew.
Pep Guardiola greeted the Belgium international as he left the field, but De Bruyne hardly raised his head to acknowledge his manager.
TalkSPORT host Adrian Durham made the following statement in response to De Bruyne's abrupt departure: "What was telling right at the end, Kevin De Bruyne was probably the first down the tunnel."
Former City defender Danny Mills, who was providing commentary for talkSPORT, responded, "I saw that, he simply turned and walked off the field.
" Pep approached him in a somewhat hostile manner, didn't they? It wasn't a handshake and a pat on the back.
Kevin De Bruyne did not appear to be happy, in my opinion. Yes, the outcome will disappoint him. "However, I believe he will also be extremely disappointed that he only received, say, fifteen minutes?"
Following the match, Guardiola was questioned about if the absence of numerous important players will need short-term acquisitions.
Oscar Bobb is also out for the long run, Rodri is out for the season, while Jack Grealish, Rúben Dias, John Stones, Ederson, and Matheus Nunes are currently unavailable. Due to illness, Kyle Walker missed the match against Everton.
"Even the players [think]: 'Oh, we have to add some players,' but the truth is, we have a lot [of problems] this season," Guardiola stated.
This is a problem, too. However, I don't believe it's to bring a player for that [in the near future]. For the next three, four, or five years, you must bring a player. And doing this isn't always simple. Naturally, though, given how long [the crisis] has persisted, I believe we must give it a shot.
"Eight key players are [not] present." Furthermore, Gündogan wasn't prepared to begin today. Additionally, Kevin [De Bruyne] wasn't prepared for ninety minutes. and perhaps ought to have started sooner. However, this is the case. It's been a while. Naturally, you must consult the club, and they will make the final decision. We must make an effort because this persists for a very long period.
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