Kevin De Bruyne: Pep Guardiola Advises Manchester City Star Amid Form Concerns

• Kevin De Bruyne has found himself dropped often by Pep Guardiola in recent times
• Manchester City are interlocked in the title race with Arsenal, but the Belgian has had limited minutes this year
• The Head Coach has provided a guideline for De Bruyne on how he can get back to speed

Pep Guardiola has urged Kevin De Bruyne to get 'back to basics' amid concerns over the form of his playmaker.

De Bruyne has found himself on the bench of late, with the lofty standards he has set for himself over the years coming into question.

Both Guardiola and De Bruyne appeared for a pre-match presser ahead of Manchester City's Champions League second-leg clash against RB Leipzig on Tuesday evening.

The Belgian came off the bench in their 1-0 weekend win over Crystal Palace. He lasted only 64 minutes in the game against Newcastle. He was an unused substitute in their 4-1 win over Bournemouth and was not involved completely in the first leg against Leipzig due to injury.

How Chelsea star N'Golo Kante was allegedly held at gun point

Football

Premier League assists

However, despite the concerns, the 31-year-old remains the best playmaker in the division this season, having supplied 13 assists so far.

Guardiola will be banking on him as they enter the latter stages of the competition.

"It’s been a difficult season for all of us, me included, due to the World Cup and many things. What I’d like – I spoke many times to him – is to go to the easy principles and do it well. He has an incredible ability to make an assist, to score goals and see passes like no one else," as quoted by Goal.

This is not the first time the Spanish Head Coach has questioned De Bruyne. In October, he admitted that his midfielder was not at the level he wanted him to be.

Graham Potter names Chelsea stars who will miss Leicester City clash

Football

The tie with Leipzig is perfectly poised at one-all.

Guardiola speaks on Walker scandal

Sports Brief also reported that Guardiola has spoken for the first time on the scandal involving his player over a video released to the public.

English defender Kyle Walker was the week's talking point for a public act of indecency at a mall in Manchester between 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm on Sunday.

Walker's act was caught by CCTV as he appeared intoxicated and was involved in a dirty dance with a woman, who is not his wife, in the company of some male friends.