Manchester City

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Rodri's return from injury and Pep Guardiola's comment that he could "quit" this summer if his squad size is not reduced.

Here are some of your replies:

Neil: Absolutely fantastic to see Rodri return. While it wasn't on the scale of Colin Bell's return, which I witnessed personally back in December 1977, it was just as emotional and similarly so important for morale. Welcome back, Rodders. You have been much, much missed!

Rajkumar: Guardiola needs to trim the squad but, in doing so, he has to sell at least six players. The team needs more energy and aggressiveness in midfield. He also needs to add a central defender and an attacking right-back. Haaland has to add to his game because he has lost confidence as the main striker. City made some poor choices this season when purchasing players in January - and add to this Guardiola not being at his managerial best this season.

Andrew: Returning players need time to refresh their cutting edge and maybe the infuriating Club World Cup might give the squad that opportunity. The established (and mostly injured) players need to light their torches and lead the newer or younger players through to the excellence we have come to expect from a City team and squad. By the same token, some of the current squad need to leave. There might be some shocks in this department, but it may lead to some fresh ideas and legs in what has become a slow moving team. Who knows what will come out next season, but it could be very exciting.

Alan: Pep, there are no rules. As far as I know, you can reduce your squad size to whatever you desire - or am I wrong?

Keith: We already have enough good technical footballers, but we do need a better coaching team to create more styles of play when slow build-up and passing doesn't work. Some players need personal development now - Haaland, Marmoush, Savinho, Nunes, Nico, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Bobb. There is also still the best of Rodri, Foden, Bernardo, Doku, Kovacic and Ruben to build on! We just need to make the Champions League qualification.

Image source, Getty Images

We knew that Manchester City were not going into the FA Cup final playing at their usual standard but since they have lost, people are making out they are in some form of crisis.

City do not need a whole rebuild. I was there at Wembley and there were a lot of players who were missing. The likes of John Stones, Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb and Mateo Kovacic, who have all played their part for City in the past.

There will be players next season who will want to make amends for this season, so I don't think the narrative around them needing a rebuild is right.

Yes, there are some players in the squad who are on the older side, but they are still the minority make-up of the team rather than the majority.

A player like Kevin de Bruyne leaving is a blow for them but they have still got the same manager and core of the squad. That should leave them chomping at the bit to go again next season.

City just need a more stable year and a season where there are not players out for long stretches of games. If they can do that then they will probably be able to re-find the form we have been used to seeing in years gone by.

The younger players, especially those they bought in the January transfer window, have time to improve and they will alongside the players that have been there longer and achieved great success.

Players always ask themselves at the end of a season how it went for them personally and for some they will think, 'well I haven't played enough, or well enough at times', and that is when they will make decisions on what they are going to be like next year.

I am trying to be positive about it all because it is not all doom and gloom.

Next season's starting 11 could look very different to what it is now even if they don't bring anyone else in because of the young talent and injured players that will rejoin the squad.

Nedum Onuoha was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

Image source, Getty Images

Not only did Manchester City's 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Tuesday night put them in the driving seat for Champions League qualification, it also saw the long-awaited return of midfielder Rodri.

The 28-year-old received a standing ovation when he came on for Erling Haaland in the 83rd minute, having been out for eight months with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) that he sustained against Arsenal in September.

Having been such a crucial part of the club's recent success, it was a welcome sight for fans too see the Ballon d'Or winner return as a difficult season for Pep Guardiola's side nears its end.

It also meant Rodri's run of unbeaten matches in the Premier League extended to 36 games.

His return may also impact what the club decide to do over the summer as Guardiola claimed after their win against the Cherries that he could "quit" if the squad size is not reduced.

Rodri's consistency and leadership in the team may now provide some leeway in who the City boss wants to stay and who he would allow to leave.

So, how do you feel about Rodri's injury return?

And what do you make of Guardiola's comments about the squad?

Let us know

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your thoughts after Kevin de Bruyne signed off from his last home game on a high, as Manchester City hit three goals past Bournemouth to move one step closer to securing Champions League football.

Here are some of your comments:

Usama: A legend bowing out at the Etihad, he will be missed. As for the performance, it was mixed. We showed our former selves with dominance and composure for the majority of the game, however our weaknesses were there for all to see. We gave away cheap possession twice, resulting in a red card and a needless goal. This cannot keep happening. It has been a frustrating watch all season. We have to be ruthless come the summer transfer window.

John: Not quite the perfect game for KDB's send-off, but it was certainly eventful. It would be lovely to secure third place after such a disrupted season.

Mart: Total City dominance. Things are looking exciting for next season with the young players coming through.

Gene: There was a hunger and a sense of urgency that has been missing often this season. There were also many poor first touches, which could have turned into scoring opportunities, but were swept away by the defence. Marmoush's goal was outstanding, as much as it was unexpected, leaving the goalkeeper aghast with what had just happened. Overall a very positive performance, albeit against a squad which was not at its best.

Derek: A professional performance with well taken goals. We are nearly in the Champions League again. One last word about King Kev, thank you very much for what you've done and I wish you all the luck in the future.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne speaking on the pitch on how he feels leaving the club: "Manchester is home, Manchester is where these little kids were born. I came here with my wife, Michelle, to stay for a long time, didn't expect to be here 10 years. To do what we've done as a club, supporters, teammates we've won everything. We made the city, the club bigger and now they're going to take over.

"I wanted to play with creativity, I wanted to play with passion. I wanted to enjoy football and I hope everyone enjoyed it. Everybody has pushed me so hard inside and outside the club to be the best version of myself and these guys, everybody we see on the screen and these guys in front of me have made me better than I was before. It's an honour to play with these guys. I've made so many friends for life. We'll be back for sure soon.

"This team tries to entertain people and win. This team works incredibly hard everybody behind the scenes and on the pitch. This team will win in the future, with or without me, and everybody in the city, the supporters, will be behind the team like they've done with me for the last 10 years. This team will have success that's for sure.

"You just want to do well and win and then when you win you want to win more. You want to push the city and we've had five/six parades and that's been incredible to witness everything that goes around in the city. All the moments with these teammates there's been too many to count. It's been a pleasure."

On there being a statue of him: "It means I will always be part of this club. I always represent a small piece of that and whenever I come back with these guys and with family and friends I will be able to see myself standing around the stadium. I will always be here."

Listen to De Bruyne's full speech on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola told Sky Sports: "The most important thing was to win the game and we did it against an incredible opponent. They destroyed us in the Premier League in the first leg. The games are always good, we had chances, they had chances, it was open and the people enjoy."

On Kevin De Bruyne: "There's something that you cannot buy, if you're honest. He got all the love, especially the gratitude for the player he is and year after year what he's done."

Guardiola also threatened to quit if the club does not reduce the size of his squad this summer: "I said to the club I don't want that [a bigger squad]. I don't want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don't want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.

"It's impossible for my soul to [tell] my players in the tribune [stands] that they cannot play."

On needing a point for Champions League: "It's a pity that against Southampton we couldn't collect the points. Now it would be already done. On Sunday we have a tough opponent. We go there to win to take the point we need to be next season in the Champions League."

Did you know?

• Manchester City have won all eight of their Premier League home games against Bournemouth, with only Arsenal (10/10 v Stoke) having a better 100% home win rate against a side.

• Kevin De Bruyne created two chances for Man City, taking his overall total in the Premier League to 846. Since Opta have this metric on record (2003-04), no player has created more (Cesc Fàbregas also 846).

Manchester City will battle Liverpool for 21-year-old Bournemouth and Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez. (i paper - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Man City's performance

What did you make of Bournemouth's display?

Come back to this page on Wednesday to find a selection of your replies

There are two Premier League matches being played this evening, and you can follow every kick on BBC Sport.

• Crystal Palace v Wolves

• Man City v Bournemouth

Both kick-off times 20:00 BST

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Image source, Manchester City

Manchester City have announced that they will dedicate a mosaic and name a road after midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.

The Belgian announced earlier this season that this will be his last campaign with the club after having made his debut in 2015.

The club took to social media platform X , externalto confirm that a road at the City Football Academy will be named after the legendary midfielder and will be called the Kevin De Bruyne crescent.

A mosaic was also unveiled earlier today as a tribute to De Bruyne. This is installed near the training pitch at the City Football Academy. The image portrays one of the midfielder's iconic celebrations after a 6-3 win over Leicester City in 2021.

De Bruyne joins the likes of Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany and others with a mosaic that is created by local Manchester artist and City fan Mark Kennedy.

Mike Minay
BBC Radio Manchester reporter

Image source, Getty Images

I've been asked many times in the last week or so: "What's the one moment of Kevin De Bruyne's time at Manchester City that will stick with you?"

It is quick to think of the pass to Leroy Sane against Stoke, the assist for Oscar Bobb against Newcastle, an FA Cup final goal, a brilliant free-kick, or his goals against Real Madrid. But no.

For me, it is on the pitch in Istanbul after the 2023 Champions League final which saw Manchester City win the Treble. Pep Guardiola and De Bruyne embracing with the manager shouting in his midfielder's ear, in tears: 'We did it, Kev. We did it."

These two, brought to the club to help stimulate European success had achieved their dreams, and fans too.

Kevin had battled through the last two months of that season with his hamstring about to tear at any moment. Key goals, key passes as City surged to Premier League and FA Cup success.

There is no time when he is on the ball that you don't prepare yourself for something magic to happen. Even though this season hasn't gone to plan, you know it is still a possibility. What pass will he pick out next? If there has ever been one player you knew could change a game in an instant with just one pass, it is Kevin de Bruyne.

In the end, the hamstring gave up. In the Champions League final of all moments. But that didn't stop him then joining Pep on the touchline, as a temporary assistant manager, as they held on to the 1-0 win. He wanted to help that club over the line as much as anybody.

I have also been asked whether he is City's greatest ever. That's not fair on legends I've never seen: Colin Bell, Francis Lee, Mike Summerbee. It's also not fair to legends I have seen: Sergio Aguero, David Silva, Vincent Kompany. They all played different roles and different times. But, he is up there.

A decade of passionate, sparkling, critical performances embodied in a smiling, dry-humoured, family man.

Kevin, it's been an absolute delight to call the big moments you've been part of. Thank you, legend.

Listen to Total Sport on BBC Radio Manchester every weeknight at 18:00 and listen to every Manchester City game - home and away - live on BBC Radio Manchester.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City fan Rachel Herdson spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live and suggests that boss Pep Guardiola might have to learn something from Liverpool's Arne Slot after their FA Cup final defeat.

"I'm pleased for Crystal Palace and I think every City fan there was pleased for Palace but it was all pretty predictable in terms of how we were going to set up and how we were going to be hurt and I fully expect Bournemouth to do the same tonight - putting 10 men behind the ball, low block, fast transitions and hitting us on the counter.

"There's a way to play against us that, ultimately, in a results business, people aren't bothered about whether it's pretty or not, but that's how they get the job done against City and the frustration, I think, is that Pep hasn't found a way to combat that.

"In an interview with Mohamed Salah on Monday night, Salah was suggesting that one of the reasons Slot has been so successful this season is his ability to change tactics mid-game to suit the opposition and it really did pour salt in the wound because that is one thing that Pep will not do. He won't deviate from his style of play and that's cost us a little bit this season.

"Obviously, there are lot of other issues in terms of injuries and quality of signings etc, but that's one thing that has hurt us."

Freddie Pye
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

After Kevin d Bruyne's exit was confirmed, Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz was identified as an ideal successor.

The Germany international was flown in for talks with Manchester City officials having spoken with Pep Guardiola according to some reports, only for it all to break down this week.

That is according to BBC Sport's Sami Mokbel, who revealed that City bosses have taken the decision to withdraw their interest amid the rising costs of a potential deal soaring towards 300m euros inclusive of transfer fees and wages.

Understandably, that has left many City supporters showing feelings of disappointment, fear, and anger when looking towards the future without their legendary Belgian creator or the ideal replacement for such a figure within the playing squad.

But can club officials still get things right in the market?

Of course they can. Perhaps there has been a change of thinking, a feeling that funds are required in more areas than they originally thought when committing a top-level investment to Wirtz, or has Pep Guardiola himself had a change of heart when it comes to the creative centre of his operation ahead of the new season.

They're all talking points that will likely be answered over the coming weeks as transfer plans continue to take shape.

But come the end of the market and before the new season, if City were to bring in further defensive reinforcements in the way of two new full-backs, as well as two versatile 'number eight' operators with the much-needed legs to fuel an energetic midfield so often missed this season, surely the future still looks bright?

Find more from Freddie Pye at City Xtra, external

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

A recent discussion asked 'Has Arsenal's season been a failure?' This was followed by a similar inquisition on Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. They have no trophies between them, which is astonishing. But disastrous failures, really?

There was a narrowly lost FA Cup final for City while Arsenal look set to come home second in the league on top of an impressive Champions League run. This included the hammering of Real Madrid, while playing the campaign without a recognised striker - and with their top scorer Kai Havertz unavailable for the business end of the season.

I am sticking with disappointment rather than failure for both but maybe City have more to learn. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has changed his style and adapted by adding more physicality while City still seem to be playing very similar tactics to those they always have under Pep. Meanwhile the game is evolving.

I thought the FA Cup final was the perfect example. City demand control of the game and with 79% of possession, they had it. The downside is that demand for control stops players taking chances in the final third. That final pass is almost always the riskiest but the risk-reward equation means it is worth it.

City have gone too far the other way. If the pass isn't 99% on, they turn back. Pep and City were trailblazers, but even if you have the best players and the most money, if you keep doing the same thing you become predictable.

The biggest change by others this season is from an obsession with control and order to a willingness to create chaos, using players who can deliver the unexpected.

For all the beauty of City at their best, I can't say I am disappointed by the change. Have a look at how PSG's style of play for a glimpse at the future.

Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter

Former Aston Villa team-mate Shay Given says "it is criminal" that Jack Grealish has not played a single minute in the last two FA Cup finals when Manchester City have been chasing the game.

Grealish has only started 16 times this season in all competitions, and has been on the pitch for 1,520 minutes - fewer than half the amount he played in the 2022-23 season when City won the Champions League.

"I have said it before, but I believe he is a generational talent because he is that good," Given told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. "He is a player you want to build your team around, but that was back-to-back FA Cup finals where Manchester City have needed a goal and they have not used him.

"When you have got a multi-time winner and international player in the calibre of Jack Grealish, it is criminal that he did not get on the pitch for both cup finals.

"The writing is on the wall.

"I don't even know why Pep Guardiola brought him to London at the weekend, he may as well have said stay at home.

"I am still angry for Jack. You only have a love for football if you are on the pitch.

"When he plays, he's a mannequin on the wing and just told to keep the shape. Kevin de Bruyne is leaving this summer and I think they already have the perfect replacement for him - in Grealish - if they want someone to play in the pockets. But I don't think he will ever play for City again.

"This is where he is at, so for his career and himself, he has to see what is out there.

"He is an amazing talent with plenty of years left in him and someone can get that out from him."

Listen to Monday Night Club on BBC Sounds

This is not a must-win game for Manchester City's top-five hopes but they could really do with a victory here.

Four points from their past two games against Bournemouth and Fulham will almost certainly see City finish in the Champions League places because of their goal difference, but their home form is much better than their results on the road and they certainly will not want to go to Craven Cottage on the final day needing a win.

Mind you, this game will not be straightforward for City either. Bournemouth have already beaten them once this season and ran them close in the FA Cup quarter-finals too, so we know they can cause them problems.

City's home form has been much more reliable of late, however, with four wins at Etihad Stadium in a row, and that is the main reason I am backing them here.

It is Kevin de Bruyne's final match at the Etihad, but City are going to have to play well to give him the send-off he deserves, and they need him to perform too.

De Bruyne has been a phenomenal player for City and it would be fitting if he can say farewell with a goal or one of his trademark assists.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Make your own prediction here, external