Kevin De Bruyne has reached terminal decline: Man City magician's time at the top has come to an end as he edges towards Etihad exit

The way the 33-year-old toiled against Liverpool was hard to watch, apart from for the 3,000 visiting fans who revelled in his downfall. De Bruyne had been the scourge of Liverpool in recent years, scoring in both of their league meetings in the epic title race of 2021-22, when the two teams could only be separated by a single point. He was City's top scorer that season with 15 goals while chipping in with eight assists. During the title run-in, he memorably scored four goals in one game against Wolves.

But on Sunday, he struggled to cope with the pace of the game and to pass the ball properly. He still believed, trying an impossible shot with his left foot over on the right wing, but the result was embarrassing, the ball swerving off towards the corner flag to the sound of cruel taunts from the away end.

That should have been the prompt for Pep Guardiola to put him out of his misery and take him off at half-time. Instead he trundled on for another 21 minutes, enough time for him to endure more taunting from the Liverpool fans as he failed to keep the ball in play and gave away a corner.

When De Bruyne's number eventually came up and he was replaced by James McAtee, many City fans rose from their seats to applaud him off the pitch. But this was not exactly a standing ovation, more akin to a family member of the deceased at a funeral being given a sympathetic hug.

The writing has been on the wall with De Bruyne for a while, and with hindsight it is tempting to conclude that last season should have been his final act with City. It very nearly was, too.

Last June, just after winning a historic fourth-consecutive title, he discussed the prospect of moving to Saudi Arabia amid reports of interest from Al-Ittihad. He told Belgian media: "At my age, you have to be open to everything. You talk about unbelievable amounts in what may be the end of my career. Sometimes you have to think about that."

In the end, De Bruyne stayed at City for the final year of his contract and he did so with Guardiola’s blessing. City’s quiet summer transfer window, in which they only added Ilkay Gundogan and Savinho to their squad, suggested the coach thought the ex-Chelsea youngster had another great season left in him. And who could blame him for thinking that after De Bruyne had recovered from two hamstring injuries in the space of 10 weeks, requiring surgery for the second, and ended up inspiring City to the title with four goals and 10 assists despite playing less than half the season.

The midfielder looked like his usual self when the season began, playing close to 90 minutes in City’s three opening games and scoring a double for Belgium against Israel. But everything changed with a seemingly minor injury to his lower abdomen sustained against Brentford in mid-September.

He finished that game and started three days later against Inter, but had to go off at half-time. He did not return until early November and did not start a match again until facing Nottingham Forest in December. As De Bruyne put it in November when discussing his future: "I was hoping to be out for a couple of days and it ended up being eight or nine weeks."

"There’s not been a lot of talks," he added when asked about the prospect of signing a new contract at City. "I just want to play good football again. Talks will come. If no talks come, then it’s my last year, so I don’t know. As long as I feel that [I can make a difference to the team], that’s a good indicator that I can still play at the top level. So that’s for me the only assurance that I need. But I have no idea how long that’s going to stay [the case]."

Just three months later, it feels like that time has now come. The wear and tear on De Bruyne’s body appears to have finally taken its toll. He has started only 12 of City’s 26 Premier League games this season, and while he may still be able to turn on the style in certain games, such as when he scored and assisted against Forest and then setting up four goals in three consecutive matches against West Ham, Brentford and Ipswich, in the games that really matter, he has either been left out or embarrassed.

De Bruyne played no part in the second leg of the Champions League play-off tie at Real Madrid after having a minimal impact in the first leg. He was a late substitute away to Arsenal and Liverpool, and at home to Chelsea. Guardiola has been blunt about De Bruyne’s physical decline, while still pointing to his ability when at the peak of his powers.

After helping inspire City to only their second win in 14 matches at Leicester in December, Guardiola said: "There are no doubts about Kevin. When Kevin is fit, Kevin is Kevin – one of the most impactful players in the history of Manchester City and in Premier League history. Sometimes he didn’t feel well in the recent past and he is a guy who needs the physicality to feel good."

The problem, though, is that De Bruyne is becoming increasingly unfit. Back in October, Guardiola made a damning comparison between the Belgian and a used car. He said: "The same car, when it goes to do something, it’s not the same car. There is something that is a little bit worse. It’s not the same as when you go to buy a car. It’s normal. It’s a lot of years there. These are part of the decisions you have to take when you think about the selections, the future, the teams, the squad. It’s not about the talent of the players, that’s there. They’re really, really good, all of them, but there are players that have damage. It happens. It’s normal."

It has been suggested that De Bruyne would be ready to agree to a contract extension at City, presumably on far reduced terms to his current deal and that he would also accept having a lesser role in the team, being a bit-part squad player. That seems an unwise choice for everyone concerned. Gundogan’s return to the team has been a huge disappointment and extending De Bruyne’s contract would be making the same mistake.

Guardiola appeared to advise the player against such a move in November when he said: "Kevin, I’m pretty sure, will be honest. He will want to finish here after this season or the next one, or the next one, at his best. I don’t think he will be here when he believes he doesn’t feel he can be the Kevin that can produce and help the team like he has done in the last decade."

And after the Liverpool defeat, Guardiola almost seemed to be paving the way for De Bruyne’s departure when he said: "I saw many things that this club has a bright future with the players that we have. Except Kevin and maybe Nathan [Ake], all the players are so, so young. What the club decides next for the future, there is a bright future for this club in the next few years. Everyone knows that a part will be here next season for the older players, but we have to build for the next step. There is a question of time."

Time catches up with everyone, and Roy Keane was blunt about the fact that the end is nigh for De Bruyne. "De Bruyne’s contract’s up, so you’re thinking those lads would probably automatically move on," the former Manchester United captain said. "He’s obviously got to look at the bigger picture, but I wouldn’t be panicking from City’s point of view. Some of the senior players will move on, that’s just the nature of the beast. There comes a time when you get a bit older, particularly when you’re playing in midfield and it’s tough going, the manager has to make that decision."

It feels like Guardiola has already taken it. Asked ahead of City's visit to Tottenham on Wednesday whether De Bruyne could rediscover his former self, Guardiola's response was hardly convincing. He said: "He's an exceptional player. He was and is and hopefully he will be. Whatever happens will belong to him and the club."

Guardiola might be staying out of the individual contract negotiations, but it is clear what his position is on the matter and it would be a big surprise if De Bruyne did not reach the same conclusion and make this season his last at City. After everything he has given the club and indeed the Premier League, he should not be made to endure more harrowing moments like Sunday. He will still have a part to play in City’s FA Cup run and their bid to finish in the Premier League’s top four, but he needs to be used sparingly to prevent further embarrassment.