City stars must all step up

KEVIN de Bruyne accepts there can be no excuses if Manchester City slip up in the absence of Sergio Aguero and David Silva.

City’s most established attacking duo were both injured in the recent international break with star striker Aguero set to be out for at least a month, playmaker Silva for a fortnight.

The pressure to deliver up front has therefore shifted to the likes of De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Bony – a trio signed for close to a combined £130million over the past year.

They all responded to the challenge superbly as the Barclays Premier League leaders thrashed Bournemouth 5–1 at the Etihad Stadium. Sterling scored a hat–trick, Bony grabbed the other two and De Bruyne was influential throughout.

De Bruyne said: “More people will look at us because we have lost two great players on the attacking front, but I think the other ones are really good players. Maybe we don’t have the experience of the other ones, but I think we are doing really well together and the more games we will get the more we will know each other and hopefully the better we will do.

“It is always a blow when you miss them, but we need to maintain our level and try to win without them.”