Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ with the Chicago Bulls was an awe-inspiring waltz to a second three-peat of NBA titles; Kevin De Bruyne’s final season with Manchester City, by contrast, feels more like a drunk granddad on the dancefloor at a wedding. The Belgian is trying to re-live his youth yet is struggling to move his feet at all, inducing cringe in all the guests who try to look away but equally cannot stop staring at the sad spectacle in front of their eyes.
There have been many signs this season that De Bruyne is no longer cut out for the big-time, but there was no clearer indication than in Sunday’s defeat to Liverpool. City need to accept that reality now and use their captain very carefully for the remainder of the season to prevent him being embarrassed even further.