Kevin De Bruyne rolls back the years as Crystal Palace crumble in the face of an all-time great | OneFootball

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A comeback for the ages, courtesy of the ageing great.

They will miss him when he’s gone, the man who is arguably Manchester City’s greatest ever player. But when he does, Kevin De Bruyne’s legacy looks likelier to include Champions League football. The Belgian’s City career has produced medals and memories, with some more of the latter created by a masterclass in one of his valedictory outings on home soil.

A week after confirming he will leave in the summer, De Bruyne delivered the sort of performance that, even when he is approaching his 34th birthday, would be beyond almost anyone else. Magnificent and majestic, he transformed a shambolic showing from City into a morale-boosting victory. In a game decided by force of personality, De Bruyne’s refusal to accept defeat on the day and failure in City’s quest for a top-five finish brought a role in four goals.

“I want to go away with a Champions League for this team because they deserve it,” said De Bruyne.

Almost a decade ago, his first Premier League appearance for City came against Palace. One of the last was a reminder of his rare combination of extreme talent and drive.

“Kevin is not a vocal leader,” said Pep Guardiola. Yet he has another form of leadership. “He has a unique talent, a vision in the pass and when the players up front and Kevin has the ball, they know they can run because the ball will be delivered,” his manager added.

A goal and an assist felt a slight return for De Bruyne’s contribution. He also struck the woodwork; was denied by a goal-saving intervention by Chris Richards; had a part in City’s equaliser, with Ilkay Gundogan’s miskick denying his fellow veteran the assist, and their fifth; almost put them ahead on the stroke of half-time; and was the provider when first Omar Marmoush and then the German should have scored.

Little wonder that “Oh, Kevin De Bruyne,” echoed around the Etihad Stadium. They can stare at a statue of him in the future. The privilege, for 10 years, has been to see the flesh and blood.

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The game could have looked very different had Eberechi Eze’s second goal not been ruled out for offside (Getty)

“No one can do what Kevin has done,” said Guardiola. “[He was] the Kevin we have known for many years. The gratitude we have, I have, to him is huge. I know that he can deliver and am happy that he is helping us. The way we played helped him a lot with incredible runners, the young lads, the full-backs.”

It was one explanation. Guardiola picked an odd mix of a team, with three homegrown youngsters, four players in their thirties but too few near their peak. Yet a veteran brought the inspiration and two youngsters struck; James McAtee on his first league start for City, Nico O’Reilly with his first top-flight goal, volleyed in after De Bruyne’s cross was not cleared.

McAtee’s goal, City’s fourth, was still more remarkable, the winger rounding Dean Henderson to slot in a shot; but after Ederson’s 70-yard pass caught out a static Palace defence. At fault for one goal, the keeper made another. His four league assists for City put him behind only Savinho and De Bruyne.

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City had five separate goalscorers in a rampant home win (Getty)

In a curiosity of a game, City were wretched and wrenched open at the start and Palace fell apart before the end. After mustering just five goals in six league games, City had five in an afternoon. “We could have scored eight or nine, easy,” said Guardiola. Either they were creative, or merely De Bruyne was. The match was not decided by Guardiola’s tactics – a striker-less 4-2-2-2 formation – as much as by a magnetic individual, De Bruyne going everywhere and teammates looking for him.

They needed someone to rouse them. They were opened up in open play and by a set-piece. Ismaila Sarr supplied the low centre for Eberechi Eze to finish at the far post for the opener. Guardiola had his arm raised, like Tony Adams in his prime, appealing for offside; Eze had been in the build-up, but not when Sarr found him.

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Keeper Ederson had a mixed game, registering an assist but also clumsy in goal and forced off with what looked like a groin problem (Getty)

Then Chris Richards outjumped Ruben Dias to head in Adam Wharton’s corner, Ederson declining to leave his line. When Sarr hooked over from six yards and Eze curled in a shot but was offside, Palace almost extended their lead. “We miss a big chance for 3-0,” rued manager Oliver Glasner.

Instead, it ended 5-2. City had two goals in three minutes, De Bruyne’s free kick going through the Palace wall for his 107th City goal and, from his header, Marmoush finishing. Mateo Kovacic drilled in a low shot when teed up by De Bruyne. The next generation sealed victory; maybe, in 2035, McAtee and O’Reilly will still be in the side, still able to boast they once shared a pitch with De Bruyne.

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Nico O’Reilly's side-footed volley sealed an emphatic victory (Getty)

So, for 45 minutes, did Jean-Philippe Mateta before Palace hauled him off. Glasner defended the substitution but admitted he made a mistake to change his formation to 3-5-2. He joked with Guardiola that the City manager cannot use the same system again if they meet in the FA Cup final. “We will solve it,” he said.

Yet he had no answer to De Bruyne here; on what might prove his last goal, his last assist, his last tour de force at the Etihad. Because, while it was Guardiola 5 Glad All Over 2, more accurately it was De Bruyne 5 Palace 2.