Erling Haaland Hardest Hit by Kevin De Bruyne's Absence

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Striker Not Getting Service That He's Used To

Kevin De Bruyne suffered a thigh injury in the Champions League goalless draw against Inter Milan on September 18. What was expected to be a muscle strain that would keep him out for a week or maybe two has dragged on since. The midfielder remains sidelined six weeks later and there's still no timeline for his return.

City depend so much on De Bruyne's creativity to open up teams and create chances. Erling Haaland is usually the main beneficiary as the Norwegian is usually on hand to apply the finishing.

Speaking on De Bruyne's situation ahead of the crunch League Cup tie against Tottenham, Pep Guardiola did not sound hopeful that the 33-year-old will return soon. With several key players sidelined, having the Belgian in action will be very helpful.

City struggled to find the back of the net against relegation-threatened Southampton, but there would be more difficult games ahead. As far as winning matches is concerned, there have been some close calls already. But there may just be warning signs of what's to come.

With Rodri out for the rest of the season, the team needs De Bruyne is needed more than ever before. On his day, the Belgian is a powerhouse that can decide matches all on his own. He will press the opposition to make mistakes, create chances, pass, score and do it all over again.

And when necessary he will help out in defence, only to bamboozle the opposing team by launching quick counterattacks that quite often lead to goals. He had 14 goal contributions in just 18 appearances for the Blues last season. He scored four times and set up 10 more for teammates. It's no surprise that Guardiola convinced him to stay even when he flirted with the idea of moving to Saudi Arabia for big money last summer.

With the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and former City teammates Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and more recently Joao Cancelo all filing out for the Saudi Pro League, De Bruyne would certainly find a new home there. But at this point, City need him more than he needs the team.

Haaland's goal numbers have diminished significantly since his first season at the club. But that's not just due to his form. The support cast has not been as strong with De Bruyne and several other City players struggling to stay fit.