De Bruyne: The quality is there | OneFootball

Kevin De Bruyne believes it’s only a matter of time before things start to click again because of the talent and tenacity in the City dressing room.

KDB knows that it’s been a tough period for the Blues after one win, two draws and seven defeats in the last 10 games across all competitions with injury problems also plaguing Pep Guardiola’s selection options during that spell.

But the 33-year-old has also seen enough to know that City, by showing courage and class, will battle back from the current adversity.

“You have to accept the situation and accept that at the moment it is going the way it is, but you don’t make excuses and you work hard, you try to do your job and hopefully you improve,” he said on the eve of the Manchester derby.

“I think there have been games like Bournemouth where we were not good, certain moments in the Tottenham game, but there have been moments where we have played alright but we didn’t get the goals in that moment.

“It was the same against Juventus, we could have been ahead one or two nil. We didn’t do that, we conceded and we were in trouble.

“At this moment in time it is going like this and we have to try to find something to change this, but the quality is there.

“It is a challenge we need to accept and obviously it is not nice, but it’s not the first time in my career I have endured it, so we will deal with it.

“It is not nice to deal with this situation, but you have to do it. We want to do better and we are trying.

“I enjoy playing football and I know that the quality is there and the team are trying. It is not that people don’t run or try, it is there.

“But at the moment, it doesn’t really come off. It will come.”

What better way to spark a change in fortunes than with victory in the City v United clash on Sunday.

It's an encounter that KDB relishes, with this the 20th occasion he’s faced the Red Devils while in Manchester, but he stresses his approach won’t change despite the hype that comes with the derby.

“I understand it is a big game, I understand the significance of winning that game and I understand the bragging rights that it gives the supporters,” he continued.

“It doesn’t really change what I do because it is a big game worth three points.

“I have to do my job that I always do.”

City v United is a battle for pride and KDB knows all too well the importance of putting on the blue shirt given that he’s closing in on nearly 10 years at the Club.

The silky-smooth attacking midfielder reflected on his time with the Blues on the eve of Sunday’s Etihad encounter with our neighbours.

He's won 16 major honours in this glorious era of dominance and he said he’s ‘happy, grateful and proud’ to have been a part of our Centurions, Fourmidables, Treble Winners, Champions of the World and History Makers.

“I have been a professional for 16 years and 10 out of those years are here,” he added.

“That says it all. My kids are all born here, I have lived here for 10 years and it has been my life.

“I made a decision after moving around a couple of years to be somewhere steady at a top club.

“Almost 400 games is an incredible feature because obviously this club plays at the top level all of the time.

“I have been able to stay on that level with them, so I am happy, grateful and proud.”