‘We need a player who keeps the ball!’ 🗣️ ‘After (he went off) we did it better…’- Pep Guardiola defends early Kevin De Bruyne substitution after touchline spat with Man City midfielder in Liverpool draw

In the recent showdown between Manchester City and Liverpool on March 10th, Pep Guardiola’s decision to substitute Kevin De Bruyne has been unveiled, shedding light on the intricacies of the match at Anfield.

At the onset of the highly anticipated clash between Guardiola and Klopp, Manchester City initiated their strategy with the formidable pairing of Erling Haaland and De Bruyne leading the attack. De Bruyne’s brilliance was evident in the 23rd minute when he orchestrated a clever corner play, allowing John Stones to net the opening goal.

However, a pivotal moment arose in the 50th minute when a lapse in concentration from Nathan Ake led to Ederson conceding a foul on Darwin Nunez, resulting in the equalizer for Liverpool. Subsequently, Alexis Mac Allister was introduced into the fray and performed admirably.

With the game finely balanced in the 69th minute, Guardiola made a surprising substitution, opting to replace De Bruyne with Mateo Kovacic. The decision didn’t sit well with the 17-year-old City star, who expressed his discontent by walking past his manager while vocalizing his frustration. Guardiola, however, approached De Bruyne on the bench to provide clarification for his tactical move.

Post-match, Guardiola defended his decision, emphasizing the necessity of benching De Bruyne to regain control of the game. He expressed satisfaction with De Bruyne’s emotional reaction, indicating that it reflected the player’s passion. Guardiola highlighted the team’s improvement in ball retention after Kovacic’s introduction, citing the ability to make extra passes as a key factor.

As a result of the draw, both Arsenal and Liverpool now share the top spot in the Premier League standings with 64 points each, with Manchester City trailing behind. The impending clash between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium promises to be pivotal in shaping the title race.

Additionally, Sports Brief revealed an incident during the match where Liverpool’s appeal for a late penalty was dismissed by referee Michael Oliver. Despite claims of a foul on Mac Allister by Jeremy Doku, the appeal was waved away, denying Liverpool a potential opportunity to clinch victory in stoppage time.