De Bruyne deserves to start for Man City and could be key in the FA Cup final
The Belgian star's vision could be pivotal to beating an organised Palace side
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By MARTIN KEOWN
Published: 17:30 EDT, 16 May 2025 | Updated: 17:34 EDT, 16 May 2025
With an FA Cup final and Champions League qualification still to play for, Pep Guardiola has to plan for three huge games in just nine days.
Kevin De Bruyne is the ultimate professional who will do whatever the manager asks, but he deserves to play at Wembley — having been left out of the semi-final against Nottingham Forest — and end his glittering Manchester City career with a medal round his neck.
In fact, his helicopter vision will be pivotal to City’s chances of beating a super-organised Crystal Palace.
We can assume Palace will use the blueprint that worked in their 3-0 semi-final win over Aston Villa. Manager Oliver Glasner will try to stifle City with a mid-pitch block and often go man-for-man.
Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr are key. They are wide players who tuck in to create a 5-4-1, but are primed to counter-attack with dynamism if Palace win the ball back with City’s inverted full backs stuck in midfield.
Palace certainly should not be written off — underdogs have won finals before.
Kevin De Bruyne could prove key in helping Man City unlock Crystal Palace at Wembley
Palace will likely adopt the same tactics which saw them stun Aston Villa in the semi-finals
De Bruyne's relationship with Erling Haaland is exceptional and could help City unlock Palace
City can expect to have plenty of possession but, with space at a premium, it requires a special and creative No10 to unsettle Palace’s shape. That is exactly what De Bruyne is, a football genius with an exceptional range of passing from different angles. He was the difference-maker when City beat Palace 5-2 at the Etihad last month, having trailed 2-0.
I once described his feet as paint brushes and it would be lovely to see the artist create a masterpiece in one last final.
The Belgian’s relationship with Erling Haaland is exceptional — almost telepathic, in fact. Haaland is like a guard dog on alert whenever he sees De Bruyne picking up the ball and will make runs in anticipation.
I saw it myself at Arsenal with Thierry Henry and Ian Wright — their senses were heightened if Dennis Bergkamp had the ball.
City were flat in last weekend’s goalless draw at Southampton, but there were reasons. It was Haaland’s comeback from injury and the team will not have the same motivation fighting for a top-five finish when they are usually in the mix for titles.
A Cup final at Wembley, with something tangible to win at the end, is different, with no shortage of incentive whatsoever.
The whole De Bruyne situation has been weird. As soon as it was announced he was leaving, he has become instrumental to City again. It is as if Guardiola is saying, ‘you are good enough to play now but not beyond August!’.
I think it is a power play because that is how Pep seems to work. He banished Joao Cancelo and let Kyle Walker leave. He likes to show no voice in the dressing room is bigger than his. Bidding De Bruyne farewell so ruthlessly is a sign nobody is untouchable.
Allowing De Bruyne to leave seems to be Guardiola showing a message nobody is untouchable
It would be a fitting end for De Bruyne at Man City if he helps the club claim FA Cup glory
The contrast between the two finalists — serial winners versus a club who have never lifted a major trophy — is fascinating. When I was a youngster, my coach Don Howe would mention the nursery rhyme Ten Green Bottles before Cup ties. His message was you might only get 10 opportunities for FA Cup glory in a career, so don’t accidentally fall!
That is how the Palace players will feel. City are more used to the big stage with it being their third consecutive final. I achieved that from 2001 to 2003, so I know the amount of hard work it takes.
Guardiola’s line-up is hard to call. Judging by recent selections, the manager appears to have lost faith in Jack Grealish and Phil Foden and doesn’t seem to consider Jeremy Doku, Savinho or his January signings fully ready.
For me, De Bruyne is still the top man in the building. He will not have liked being jettisoned with his ego and is clearly using that anger as fuel. What better shop window than Wembley to show other clubs what he can still do aged 33?
It would be fitting for this game to become known as the De Bruyne final but with Guardiola and his curveballs, you simply never know!