Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola hailed Kevin De Bruyne as "a legend", after the Belgian marked his Premier League return by scoring one goal and creating the winner for Oscar Bobb in a thrilling 3-2 come back victory at Newcastle United.
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City went ahead through Bernardo Silva in the first half but goals from Newcastle's Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon turned the match on its head.
Enter De Bruyne in the 69th-minute for his first top-flight appearance since the opening day of the season when he sustained a hamstring injury against Burnley.
De Bruyne netted the equaliser just five minutes later and then, with seconds remaining, he clipped a signature pass perfectly into the path of Bobb who finished with aplomb to secure the points.
"He's [De Bruyne] a special player, he's a legend who is so beloved for our people," Guardiola told the club's official website after City moved two points off leaders Liverpool.
"He's fresh in his mind because five months is a long time, and in the second half of the season he can help us to be there until the end.
“He needs to have a bit more freedom and space and to be able to move to where his nose or gut is telling him at that moment to create some passes. When Kevin has the ball, we need runners like Oscar as he did today, Phil [Foden] and Erling [Haaland]. His goal was fantastic.
Guess who's back! 🤷♂️@KevinDeBruyne 👑 pic.twitter.com/UTEiOdAAcI
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 13, 2024
"They showed me they want to be there, to fight until the end...that they want to retain the title. We've won five of the last six, why not? Of course it's important because Liverpool are flying - and we have to still go to Anfield so it's better to be close to them."
It was De Bruyne's 167th and 168th goal contribution in 244 Premier League appearances since joining Man City in 2015, and the first time he had ever been sidelined for such a lengthy period through injury.
And the 32-year-old's delight at being back in the thick of the action was evident.
"I missed this, you know?" said De Bruyne. "It is what it is, I had a big injury, and I needed the time [to recover], but I enjoyed myself and I worked hard, and to come here in this stadium, this environment, to be behind and then to [comeback]... it was crazy."
De Bruyne's sublime delivery for Bobb in added-time set the academy graduate up for his first Premier League goal in his seventh appearance.
"It’s a lifelong dream [to score in the Premier League]," said Bobb, who made his senior debut for Norway in October. "To do it with the best team in the world, I can’t explain it.
Not a bad way to score your first @premierleague goal! ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/JMkjuSBLX2
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 13, 2024
"I said thank you to [Kevin] after. He’s the only one in the world who can do that [assist]. To play with him is great.
"He is not only one of the greatest players in the Premier League, he’s a nice guy too, and helps the young players a lot."