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De Bruyne returns with a goal and assist to lead Man City to comeback win

Published:Saturday | January 13, 2024 | 3:21 PM
Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game, during the English Premier League soccer match between Newcastle United and Manchester City, at St James' Park, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England on January 13, 2024. -Owen Humphreys/PA via AP

(AP) — Kevin De Bruyne marked his English Premier League football return by coming off the bench to score the equalizer and set up an injury-time winner as Manchester City rallied for a 3-2 win at Newcastle on Saturday.

Less than five minutes after coming on for his first league appearance since the opening round of the season, De Bruyne showed just what Manchester City has been missing in his absence.

The Belgian playmaker collected a pass in midfield and drove forward before calmly slotting a low shot just inside the post with pinpoint perfection to make it 2-2 in the 74th.

With City pressing for a winner, De Bruyne then lifted a perfectly weighted ball into the box for substitute winger Oscar Bobb, who beat goalkeeper Martin Dubravka from close range.

De Bruyne was out for five months after needing surgery on his hamstring, but this 20-minute cameo showed just how instrumental he can still be to City's title defense.

The win lifted Pep Guardiola's team into second place, two points behind Liverpool.

Tenth-place Newcastle fell to a fourth straight league loss, despite having come from behind to take the lead in a frantic first half that featured three highlight-reel goals in a 12-minute span.

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