IT'S been a long time coming, but in the 85th minute of City's 36th game of the season, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland finally combined for the first time in 2023/24.
A through-ball played with precision and a finish that required strength and then poise, it was a classic combo from the Etihad's star turns.
It was Haaland's second goal of the 2-0 win against Everton and his November 28. But also his 20th and 21st of the season in all competitions and he remains the Premier League's top goalscorer. De Bruyne was providing his fourth assist in as many league games since returning from hamstring surgery.
But the fact it has taken until the 10th day of February for the Belgian to create a goal for the Norwegian points to City's biggest issue this season. De Bruyne has missed 27 of those 36 games and Haaland has missed 10 of them. Losing your two best players for that length of time in a campaign is usually fatal to your ambitions.
Not so for City, however. After Pep Guardiola watched his star duo start together at the Etihad for the first time since beating Real Madrid 4-0 in May, he toasted those members of his squad who had kept the show on the road in the meantime.
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