Kevin De Bruyne has promised more glory at Manchester City after welcoming Pep Guardiola’s new contract.
Guardiola signed a two-year extension during the World Cup and is hunting a fifth Premier League title in charge this season, with City five points adrift of leaders Arsenal ahead of the restart.
De Bruyne, one of City’s five elected captains, believes the manager’s commitment can now inspire the defending champions to continue lifting regular silverware.
‘It was great news to hear while we were away,’ the 31-year-old said. ‘Pep has done so much for this football club and I am sure he will continue doing that.
‘We want to win every single game and every competition that we play in and Pep’s impact on helping us try to achieve that is huge.’
Donning a blue Santa outfit, De Bruyne surprised kids at a City in the Community event as the club donated £190,000 to the cause at Christmas as part of their ‘A Time for Giving’ campaign.
Several first-team stars, including Erling Haaland and Riyad Mahrez, spent time with patients at local hospitals in the first festive player visits since the coronavirus pandemic, with 1,600 gifts handed to youngsters at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.
Those players are set to be included in Thursday night’s squad as City face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup fourth round, although De Bruyne conceded the quick return from the World Cup has taken some adjustment.
‘We will have to adapt to the situation,’ he added. ‘When I returned to training last week there were few senior players, so it is a strange situation. We will obviously be trying to win the game against a tough side.
‘It has obviously been different, but we just have to try to be ready. It is a different sort of challenge physically and mentally, but I am sure we will be ready for the second half of the season. We will do everything we can to try and get the rhythm back to ensure we put in good performances.’
De Bruyne was downcast about Belgium’s prospects during the tournament, suggesting that the ageing squad may struggle, and was proven correct as they were knocked out in the group stage. The midfielder, who praised the 76,000 hours of free community sessions City are providing for children, vowed to shake off any international hangover.
‘It was obviously a disappointing World Cup campaign for us,’ he said. ‘We have had some successful major tournaments in previous years and unfortunately this was not one of them. Now I am back with City and my focus is on continuing the strong first half of the season that we had to give us the best possible chance of winning trophies at the end of the season.’
