Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes hails 'world-class' Man City star after dismal derby draw

Bruno Fernandes piled the praise on Kevin de Bruyne after he played his final Manchester derby at the weekend. The 33-year-old played the entirety of the match as Man City held on to secure a goalless draw in what was a dismal display at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

It did not prove to be a fitting farewell for De Bruyne after he revealed earlier in the week he would leave City in the summer after a decade at the club. The Belgian has won 16 trophies since he joined from Wolfsburg in 2015, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League. He ranks second for the most assists in Premier League history and has scored 106 goals in 413 appearances for the club.

He is the only current City player who was at the club before Pep Guardiola took charge. The Belgian playmaker joined for £55 million in the 2015 summer transfer window under Manuel Pellegrini before Guardiola arrived at the Etihad Stadium the following summer.

Bruno Fernandes hails Kevin de Bruyne

Speaking after the goalless draw on Sunday afternoon, Bruno Fernandes hailed Kevin de Bruyne for his impact at Man City over 10 years at the club.

"De Bruyne made the Premier League better," Fernandes told Sky Sports. "If City is where he is, and Man United hasn't won many trophies in this in this period it's because of Kevin De Bruyne, and he deserves all the credit.

"He's done fantastic. 10 years in the Premier League is a lot. They have decided to part ways. I don't know from which side, but Kevin keeps being world-class, and it was a pleasure to watch him so close. It was a pleasure to play against him. He's gonna stay in the history of the Premier League, not only of Man City."

Ahead of the match, United head coach Ruben Amorim also had plenty of praise for De Bruyne and the legacy he will leave on the Premier League.

"That is easy, he was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League,” Amorim said. “The time passes to everyone, so it is a natural thing. He improved the league. He was on the wrong side of Manchester! So I wish him good luck. It was a pleasure to see him in Portugal a lot of times."

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