Rio Ferdinand makes title prediction after being left baffled by Man City star
Former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand expects Manchester City to kick on and win the Premier League title after a "ridiculous" Kevin De Bruyne contribution helped them win at Newcastle on Saturday.
City trailed 2-1 at St James' Park when De Bruyne came off the bench for his first league outing since the opening weekend of the season, when he was forced off early at Burnley. The Belgian playmaker wasted little time dragging his team to victory, first with a low effort to equalise and then with an inch-perfect pass which allowed Oscar Bobb to score City's winner.
It wasn't just the contributions, but also the manner of them, which impressed Ferdinand. The pundit was lost for words after seeing De Bruyne well and truly back, and anticipates more from the reigning champions.
" Pep Guardiola, very rarely do you see him as animated as he was today," Ferdinand said on TNT Sports. "I’ll tell you one thing, that man there (De Bruyne), you’re back, you are back. You are the jewel in the crown, you’re back.
"Watch momentum kick in now and these guys know what to do," he continued. "These guys know when to put the pedal to the floor and it looks like now everybody is going to be looking over their shoulders and looking around and saying, they are coming.
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"They know how to get the job done, they have the experience, the depth, the class, the quality and the firepower. Formidable."
Will Manchester City go on and win the title? Have your say in the comments section
Kevin De Bruyne scored on his Premier League return (AFP via Getty Images)Ferdinand was left baffled by the way De Bruyne took his goal. The 74th-minute effort brought City level, with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon on target after Bernardo Silva put the visitors in front, and it was left to Bobb to finish things off seconds into added time.
"Most players are shifting the ball before they hit that," Ferdinand said of the equaliser. "He’s seen an angle, what angle I don’t know - he must play snooker in his spare time.
"It’s ridiculous, it’s not even on really and that is a sign of a player who knows exactly what he needs to do to get the best out of himself. He’s a phenomenal footballer, a technician of the highest order we have ever seen in this league."
City's title rivals Liverpool sit two points clear, with other sides not out of the picture after 20 games. Jurgen Klopp's men can increase the pressure on their rivals with three points at Bournemouth next weekend, but they know Guardiola's side are breathing down their necks.
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