Assist king Kevin de Bruyne makes history in English Premier League
Belgian sets up Aguero's winner and becomes first player to reach 15 assists in three separate seasons
Kevin de Bruyne made English Premier League history after setting up Sergio Aguero for Manchester City's 73rd-minute winner against Sheffield United in a 1-0 triumph at Bramall Lane.
It was the 28-year-old's 15th assist of the English Premier League season, making him the first player to record at least 15 assists in three separate campaigns.
With 14 league matches left, the Belgian midfielder could eclipse his best-ever haul of 18 assists in the 2016/17 season.
De Bruyne racked up 16 in 2017/18. He has seven goals this season, one shy of his best-ever tally of eight in an EPL season in 2017/18.
With 17 minutes left against the Blades and City needing a goal, de Bruyne wriggled into space for a perfectly weighted pass that picked out Aguero's run to the far post, leaving the Argentine with the simple task of slotting home.
After yesterday morning's (Singapore time) match, Blades boss Chris Wilder said: "Kevin de Bruyne has found an amazing pass and the movement of Sergio Aguero, he's done that to everyone in Europe and the world, it's a great finish.
"I've got nothing but enormous pride for my team, we went toe-to-toe with them."
City boss Pep Guardiola was similarly effusive about Wilder's promoted side, saying: "What Sheffield United do, they do perfectly.
"They've been together for five years so their spirit is so good. They are so good at the second balls and arrive with a lot of people in the final third."
But the Spaniard reserved his most fulsome praise for centre-back Aymeric Laporte, who featured for City for the first time since suffering a knee injury in a 4-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion last August.
CLEAN SHEET
The Frenchman's return coincided with the Citizens' first clean sheet of the year.
Said Guardiola: "We have missed (Laporte) a lot. It's incredible.
"He's the best left-central defender in the world.
"Imagine the best teams in the world losing their best central defender.
"He has something that we don't have in the squad - his left foot and many actions that make (our play) quicker and better.
"We don't have it without him, not because the other defenders are not good, but he has the only left foot as a central defender, and for the way we want to play, that is so important.
"His character and mentality and winning - he has all the attributes."
Laporte, 25, responded to the praise, saying: "I think it's great to hear that from this manager because he's one of the best in the world, if not the best.
"I have to keep going to stay there (at the top)."
Champions City are second in the EPL, 13 points behind runaway leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand.
YESTERDAY’S OTHER RESULTS
- Bournemouth 3 Brighton 1
- Aston Villa 2 Watford 1
- Crystal Palace 0 Southampton 2
- Everton 2 Newcastle 2
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