There was always something otherworldly about <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kevin-de-bruyne">Kevin De Bruyne</a>&mdash;something beyond the numbers, the assists, and the accolades. With his boyish ginger hair ruffled by the wind, that sharp, glacier-blue stare scanning the pitch, and a jawline carved with quiet determination, he never quite fit the stereotypical mold of a football superstar. There was no hunger for cameras, no theatrics, no glittering brand empire trailing behind him. Just the ball, the game, and his mind&mdash;miles ahead of everyone else's.
He didn&rsquo;t sprint like a winger or glide like a classic No. 10. He moved like a chess grandmaster&mdash;deliberate, precise, seeing spaces that didn&rsquo;t yet exist. His passes weren&rsquo;t just passes&mdash;they were riddles wrapped in elegance, splitting defensive lines with surgical cruelty. His crosses whipped into the box like guided missiles, his long shots struck with venom and clarity, and his touch&mdash;so pure it felt like watching a sculptor carve out moments of magic in real time.
He never needed the flamboyance of tricks or the limelight of drama. Instead, he let his football do the talking&mdash;crisp passes, razor-sharp vision, and an engine that never ran dry. He was the storm in silence, the conductor of chaos, and now, as he bids farewell to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/manchester-city">Manchester City</a>, the Etihad falls silent in gratitude.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-after-hardik-and-riyan-pant-becomes-third-captain-to-be-fined-for-slow-over-rate-digvesh-penalised-again-8928237">IPL 2025: After Hardik and Riyan, Pant becomes third captain to be fined for slow over-rate; Digvesh penalised again!</a>
Now, after a glittering chapter at Manchester City that redefined a generation, the Belgian playmaker has announced his departure. And the sky, once painted City blue with his artistry, feels just a little dimmer.
When De Bruyne signed for City in the summer of 2015, eyebrows were raised. A club-record fee. A return to England after a quiet stint at Chelsea. Few predicted that the man who arrived from Wolfsburg would go on to become the beating heart of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/pep-guardiola">Pep Guardiola</a>&rsquo;s revolution. But from his first full season, it was clear: Kevin wasn&rsquo;t here to participate. He was here to orchestrate.
He became Guardiola&rsquo;s most trusted general. The conductor of the chaos, armed with an extraordinary footballing brain and an unrelenting engine. He wasn&rsquo;t just a midfielder&mdash;he was a system unto himself. Dictating tempo, launching attacks, dropping deep when needed, floating wide, or bursting into the box with a late run that always seemed perfectly timed. He played every midfield role, often in the same match, and made it all look seamless.
<h2>Pep talks about Kevin:</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
"There's no doubt he's one of the greatest." 🩵 <a href="https://t.co/CcvJP4D7XV">pic.twitter.com/CcvJP4D7XV</a>
&mdash; Manchester City (@ManCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/1908176230630789618?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

His chemistry with teammates&mdash;Sergio Aguero, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/raheem-sterling">Raheem Sterling</a>, Erling Haaland&mdash;was poetry in motion. He could switch play like flicking a light switch. He could accelerate a counter with a single touch. And when the stakes were highest, De Bruyne delivered. Time and again.
But perhaps his greatest legacy isn't the trophies or the stats. It's the transformation. When De Bruyne joined, City were contenders. When he leaves, they are an institution&mdash;feared, respected, and synonymous with excellence.
His stats are staggering&mdash;over 100 assists, goals in double figures in multiple seasons, man-of-the-match performances in cup finals, Champions League semi-finals, title deciders. But De Bruyne was never defined by numbers. He was defined by moments.
The outside-of-the-foot pass against PSG. The solo run and finish against Arsenal. The thunderbolt volleys. The times he played through pain, bandaged and bruised, because his team needed him. And then there were those passes&mdash;those sublime, curling, bending passes from the half-space into chaos&mdash;that made even the opposition fans nod in disbelief.
Through six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, and that long-awaited <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-league">Champions League</a> triumph, De Bruyne wasn&rsquo;t just present&mdash;he was pivotal. His DNA is stitched into every success, his fingerprints on every trophy.
Now, as Kevin De Bruyne closes the chapter on his City career, he leaves behind not just memories, but a blueprint. For every young midfielder dreaming big. For every team aiming to build dynasties. And for every fan who found joy in the simplicity of his genius.
He didn&rsquo;t just play for City. He became City.
Farewell, Maestro. You built an empire in blue.

Football, Sports: He didn’t sprint like a winger or glide like classic No. 10. He moved like a chess grandmaster—deliberate, precise, seeing spaces that didn’t yet exist

There was always something otherworldly about Kevin De Bruyne—something beyond the numbers, the assists, and the accolades. With his boyish ginger hair ruffled by the wind, that sharp, glacier-blue stare scanning the pitch, and a jawline carved with quiet determination, he never quite fit the stereotypical mold of a football superstar. There was no hunger for cameras, no theatrics, no glittering brand empire trailing behind him. Just the ball, the game, and his mind—miles ahead of everyone else's. He didn’t sprint like a winger or glide like a classic No. 10. He moved like a chess grandmaster—deliberate, precise, seeing spaces that didn’t yet exist. His passes weren’t just passes—they were riddles wrapped in elegance, splitting defensive lines with surgical cruelty. His crosses whipped into the box like guided missiles, his long shots struck with venom and clarity, and his touch—so pure it felt like watching a sculptor carve out moments of magic in real time. He never needed the flamboyance of tricks or the limelight of drama. Instead, he let his football do the talking—crisp passes, razor-sharp vision, and an engine that never ran dry. He was the storm in silence, the conductor of chaos, and now, as he bids farewell to Manchester City, the Etihad falls silent in gratitude. Also Read: IPL 2025: After Hardik and Riyan, Pant becomes third captain to be fined for slow over-rate; Digvesh penalised again! Now, after a glittering chapter at Manchester City that redefined a generation, the Belgian playmaker has announced his departure. And the sky, once painted City blue with his artistry, feels just a little dimmer. When De Bruyne signed for City in the summer of 2015, eyebrows were raised. A club-record fee. A return to England after a quiet stint at Chelsea. Few predicted that the man who arrived from Wolfsburg would go on to become the beating heart of Pep Guardiola’s revolution. But from his first full season, it was clear: Kevin wasn’t here to participate. He was here to orchestrate. He became Guardiola’s most trusted general. The conductor of the chaos, armed with an extraordinary footballing brain and an unrelenting engine. He wasn’t just a midfielder—he was a system unto himself. Dictating tempo, launching attacks, dropping deep when needed, floating wide, or bursting into the box with a late run that always seemed perfectly timed. He played every midfield role, often in the same match, and made it all look seamless. Pep talks about Kevin: "There's no doubt he's one of the greatest." 🩵 pic.twitter.com/CcvJP4D7XV — Manchester City (@ManCity) April 4, 2025 His chemistry with teammates—Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Erling Haaland—was poetry in motion. He could switch play like flicking a light switch. He could accelerate a counter with a single touch. And when the stakes were highest, De Bruyne delivered. Time and again. But perhaps his greatest legacy isn't the trophies or the stats. It's the transformation. When De Bruyne joined, City were contenders. When he leaves, they are an institution—feared, respected, and synonymous with excellence. His stats are staggering—over 100 assists, goals in double figures in multiple seasons, man-of-the-match performances in cup finals, Champions League semi-finals, title deciders. But De Bruyne was never defined by numbers. He was defined by moments. The outside-of-the-foot pass against PSG. The solo run and finish against Arsenal. The thunderbolt volleys. The times he played through pain, bandaged and bruised, because his team needed him. And then there were those passes—those sublime, curling, bending passes from the half-space into chaos—that made even the opposition fans nod in disbelief. Through six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, and that long-awaited Champions League triumph, De Bruyne wasn’t just present—he was pivotal. His DNA is stitched into every success, his fingerprints on every trophy. Now, as Kevin De Bruyne closes the chapter on his City career, he leaves behind not just memories, but a blueprint. For every young midfielder dreaming big. For every team aiming to build dynasties. And for every fan who found joy in the simplicity of his genius. He didn’t just play for City. He became City. Farewell, Maestro. You built an empire in blue.

The silent maestro: Kevin De Bruyne’s Etihad symphony comes to a close

Reigning champions Manchester City claimed top spot in the Premier League for the first time this season as Bernardo Silva scored twice in a 3-1 victory at Watford on Saturday.

Raheem Sterling's early header paved the way to a comfortable win for Pep Guardiola's side who made the most of morning leaders Chelsea's earlier 3-2 defeat at West Ham United.

Silva fired in from a tight angle in the 31st minute and put City in cruise control just past the hour mark when he curled a delightful effort into the top corner.

In truth City's winning margin should have been bigger against a struggling Watford side who were given some late hope when Cucho Hernandez pulled a goal back.

City's fifth successive league win lifted them to 35 points from 15 games, one point ahead of Liverpool and two in front of Chelsea in what is shaping up to be a three-way title tussle.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/robert-lewandowski-bags-a-brace-as-bayern-munich-beat-borussia-dortmund-3-2-in-bundesliga-434273">Robert Lewandowski bags a brace as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in Bundesliga</a>

The sight of Guardiola`s City hitting the top in the run-up to Christmas will send shivers through their rivals.

Once they climbed to the summit last season in January they marched off into the distance, although this time the form of Liverpool suggests they will not have things all their own way.

"It's still the beginning, we are not even halfway through and there is a lot of hard work to do," Silva, who is City`s surprise leading league scorer with seven goals, said.

"It's always better to be top of the league than second, third or fourth, but it`s so close -- Liverpool are just one point behind us, Chelsea are two points behind us.

"But we are in good form and we want to keep it that way."

LONG NIGHT

It was only a fortnight ago that Claudio Ranieri's side put Manchester United to the sword at Vicarage Road.

But they barely got a kick in the first half against City.

Once Sterling was given the freedom of the penalty area to head in Phil Foden's cross after four minutes it always looked like being a long night for the hosts.

Jack Grealish could have had a hat-trick before halftime as he wasted several glorious chances but Silva soon showed him how to find the back of the net.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/divock-origi-tames-wolves-to-take-liverpool-top-of-premier-league-434200">Divock Origi tames Wolves to take Liverpool top of Premier League</a>

The Portuguese playmaker's astute pass set up a chance for Ilkay Gundogan whose shot was saved by Daniel Bachmann but as the ball came out Silva was alert to drill a low shot into the net from an acute angle.

His second was a thing of beauty. Taking a pass from Kyle Walker on the right, Silva cut inside Danny Rose and curled a shot into the top corner with almost nonchalant ease.

City switched off slightly to allow Hernandez to score after his shot came back off the post, but it was a minor hiccup on a thoroughly satisfying day.

Reigning champions Manchester City claimed top spot in the Premier League for the first time this season as Bernardo Silva scored twice in a 3-1 victory at Watford on Saturday.

Reigning champions Manchester City claimed top spot in the Premier League for the first time this season as Bernardo Silva scored twice in a 3-1 victory at Watford on Saturday. Raheem Sterling's early header paved the way to a comfortable win for Pep Guardiola's side who made the most of morning leaders Chelsea's earlier 3-2 defeat at West Ham United. Silva fired in from a tight angle in the 31st minute and put City in cruise control just past the hour mark when he curled a delightful effort into the top corner. In truth City's winning margin should have been bigger against a struggling Watford side who were given some late hope when Cucho Hernandez pulled a goal back. City's fifth successive league win lifted them to 35 points from 15 games, one point ahead of Liverpool and two in front of Chelsea in what is shaping up to be a three-way title tussle. ALSO READ: Robert Lewandowski bags a brace as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in Bundesliga The sight of Guardiola`s City hitting the top in the run-up to Christmas will send shivers through their rivals. Once they climbed to the summit last season in January they marched off into the distance, although this time the form of Liverpool suggests they will not have things all their own way. "It's still the beginning, we are not even halfway through and there is a lot of hard work to do," Silva, who is City`s surprise leading league scorer with seven goals, said. "It's always better to be top of the league than second, third or fourth, but it`s so close -- Liverpool are just one point behind us, Chelsea are two points behind us. "But we are in good form and we want to keep it that way." LONG NIGHT It was only a fortnight ago that Claudio Ranieri's side put Manchester United to the sword at Vicarage Road. But they barely got a kick in the first half against City. Once Sterling was given the freedom of the penalty area to head in Phil Foden's cross after four minutes it always looked like being a long night for the hosts. Jack Grealish could have had a hat-trick before halftime as he wasted several glorious chances but Silva soon showed him how to find the back of the net. ALSO READ: Divock Origi tames Wolves to take Liverpool top of Premier League The Portuguese playmaker's astute pass set up a chance for Ilkay Gundogan whose shot was saved by Daniel Bachmann but as the ball came out Silva was alert to drill a low shot into the net from an acute angle. His second was a thing of beauty. Taking a pass from Kyle Walker on the right, Silva cut inside Danny Rose and curled a shot into the top corner with almost nonchalant ease. City switched off slightly to allow Hernandez to score after his shot came back off the post, but it was a minor hiccup on a thoroughly satisfying day.

Premier League: Bernardo Silva strikes twice as Man City go top of table after comfortable win vs Watford

Pep Guardiola wants&nbsp;Manchester City's newcomer Jack Grealish to follow&nbsp;teammate Raheem Sterling and become a 'goal machine' for the team.&nbsp;

Grealish opened his goal score for City on his home debut against Norwich as the Premier League champions defeated Norwich City 5-0 on Saturday (August 21).&nbsp;

Guardiola believes Grealish, who joined&nbsp;from Aston Villa for £100million this summer, will score many more goals if he adapts his game just like Sterling. &nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/premier-league-liverpool-and-brighton-joint-top-manchester-city-rebound-407563">Premier League: Liverpool and Brighton joint top, Manchester City rebound</a>

"If he gets the mentality to score goals like Raheem, he can score more," said Guardiola, who looked happy with Grealish's goal.&nbsp;

"When Raheem was here when I first arrived he didn't have goals in his mind and we immediately changed his arrival," he added.&nbsp;

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Pep Guardiola on Grealish's first goal for Man City <a href="https://t.co/w3H9crxgS3">pic.twitter.com/w3H9crxgS3</a>
— BeanymanSports (@BeanymanSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/BeanymanSports/status/1429196284733362181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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"Today he scored because he arrives in the centre, he's a machine there. He changed his mind and decided he was going to score.

"Jack has this mentality to score goals and win games as well, but if he has the Raheem mentality then he can do it too," Pep said.&nbsp;

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Watch every kick from our triumphant home opener against Norwich! 💪⬇️ 
 
🔷 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ManCity?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ManCity</a> | <a href="https://t.co/axa0klD5re">https://t.co/axa0klD5re</a>
— Manchester City (@ManCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/ManCity/status/1429219435852742664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Apart from Grealish debut goal, it was Brazilian Jesus who stole the show with three assists as he set up three goals and earned fulsome praise from Guardiola.&nbsp;

"One of the reasons why I'm a manager is when you can work with people and humans like Gabriel Jesus," added the City boss

"He never complains, he plays five minutes, he plays the best five minutes he can do.

"He's happy on left, right or centre and today the connection with Kyle (Walker) was exceptional.

"He was involved in three of our goals and is an incredibly important player for us. He made an exceptional performance today."

(with inputs from agencies)

Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City's newcomer Jack Grealish to follow teammate Raheem Sterling and become a 'goal machine' for the team. Grealish opened his goal score for City on his home debut against Norwich as the Premier League champions defeated Norwich City 5-0 on Saturday (August 21).

Pep Guardiola wants Manchester City's newcomer Jack Grealish to follow teammate Raheem Sterling and become a 'goal machine' for the team. Grealish opened his goal score for City on his home debut against Norwich as the Premier League champions defeated Norwich City 5-0 on Saturday (August 21). Guardiola believes Grealish, who joined from Aston Villa for £100million this summer, will score many more goals if he adapts his game just like Sterling. ALSO READ | Premier League: Liverpool and Brighton joint top, Manchester City rebound "If he gets the mentality to score goals like Raheem, he can score more," said Guardiola, who looked happy with Grealish's goal. "When Raheem was here when I first arrived he didn't have goals in his mind and we immediately changed his arrival," he added. Pep Guardiola on Grealish's first goal for Man City pic.twitter.com/w3H9crxgS3 — BeanymanSports (@BeanymanSports) August 21, 2021 × "Today he scored because he arrives in the centre, he's a machine there. He changed his mind and decided he was going to score. "Jack has this mentality to score goals and win games as well, but if he has the Raheem mentality then he can do it too," Pep said. Watch every kick from our triumphant home opener against Norwich! 💪⬇️ 🔷 #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re — Manchester City (@ManCity) August 21, 2021 × Saturday = ✅ pic.twitter.com/wjUmjO4IVe — Premier League (@premierleague) August 21, 2021 × Apart from Grealish debut goal, it was Brazilian Jesus who stole the show with three assists as he set up three goals and earned fulsome praise from Guardiola. "One of the reasons why I'm a manager is when you can work with people and humans like Gabriel Jesus," added the City boss "He never complains, he plays five minutes, he plays the best five minutes he can do. "He's happy on left, right or centre and today the connection with Kyle (Walker) was exceptional. "He was involved in three of our goals and is an incredibly important player for us. He made an exceptional performance today." (with inputs from agencies)

'If he has the Raheem mentality...': Pep Guardiola wants Jack Grealish to follow 'goal machine' Sterling

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/sports/manchester-city-boss-pep-guardiola-requests-players-to-be-calm-after-derby-win-213390&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwi3lt7cwe3hAhUE6nMBHcoBA6gQFjAGegQIBRAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw3o73qLpIdAEgsn5BhPadU3">Manchester City's</a> England forward Raheem Sterling has been awarded The Integrity and Impact Award at this year's BT Sport Industry Awards for speaking out on a range of social issues, including racism.

Sterling was recognised for his fight against racism in the sport and for using his platform to call for more action to be taken.

He had said this month that more players needed to speak out when they suffered racism to eradicate it from the game.

"I was just speaking about my personal experiences, I didn’t expect it to get so much attention, I just wanted to bring it to the attention of my audience on Instagram," Sterling said as he received the award from his England coach Gareth Southgate.

"It’s been really pleasing to see people listening and trying and do better.

Partly what happens when you try to do good things is you set examples for the next generation coming through."

The 24-year-old also signed a manifesto earlier this week where he said clubs should be handed automatic nine-point deductions and ordered to play three games behind closed doors if their supporters indulged in racist behaviour.

Sterling, who began his career at Liverpool, said the example of his former captain Steven Gerrard encouraged him to try to develop into a role model.

"Coming from Liverpool I had people around me like Steven Gerrard that I looked up to and I’m looking at him and thinking what can I do within myself to be half the person and player he was'," Sterling&nbsp;added.

"You take little things and each year you try and develop them and become better not just on the field but off it as well,” Sterling said.

Dow Jones Sports Intelligence, the founder of the award, congratulated Sterling for the impact his actions had in addressing racism and other "social issues of diversity and inclusivity".

"He has given new confidence and a voice to other footballers and athletes to speak out when once they may not have done so," Dow Jones head of sport Simon Greenberg said in a statement issued on Thursday.

"He has sparked the sports media and the industry more widely to consider conscious or sub-conscious racial bias in their actions", Greenberg said.

England manager Southgate received the Leadership in Sport Award on behalf of the FA for building a new atmosphere in the dressing room which helped his team reach the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.

Manchester City's England forward Raheem Sterling has been awarded The Integrity and Impact Award at this year's BT Sport Industry Awards for speaking out on a range of social issues, including racism.

Manchester City's England forward Raheem Sterling has been awarded The Integrity and Impact Award at this year's BT Sport Industry Awards for speaking out on a range of social issues, including racism. Sterling was recognised for his fight against racism in the sport and for using his platform to call for more action to be taken. He had said this month that more players needed to speak out when they suffered racism to eradicate it from the game. "I was just speaking about my personal experiences, I didn’t expect it to get so much attention, I just wanted to bring it to the attention of my audience on Instagram," Sterling said as he received the award from his England coach Gareth Southgate. "It’s been really pleasing to see people listening and trying and do better. Partly what happens when you try to do good things is you set examples for the next generation coming through." The 24-year-old also signed a manifesto earlier this week where he said clubs should be handed automatic nine-point deductions and ordered to play three games behind closed doors if their supporters indulged in racist behaviour. Sterling, who began his career at Liverpool, said the example of his former captain Steven Gerrard encouraged him to try to develop into a role model. "Coming from Liverpool I had people around me like Steven Gerrard that I looked up to and I’m looking at him and thinking what can I do within myself to be half the person and player he was'," Sterling added. "You take little things and each year you try and develop them and become better not just on the field but off it as well,” Sterling said. Dow Jones Sports Intelligence, the founder of the award, congratulated Sterling for the impact his actions had in addressing racism and other "social issues of diversity and inclusivity". "He has given new confidence and a voice to other footballers and athletes to speak out when once they may not have done so," Dow Jones head of sport Simon Greenberg said in a statement issued on Thursday. "He has sparked the sports media and the industry more widely to consider conscious or sub-conscious racial bias in their actions", Greenberg said. England manager Southgate received the Leadership in Sport Award on behalf of the FA for building a new atmosphere in the dressing room which helped his team reach the 2018 World Cup semi-finals.

Man City's Raheem Sterling honoured with Integrity and Impact Award for fighting racism

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva have made the six-man shortlist for the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Players' Player of the Year award, the organisation said on Saturday.

Premier League leaders Liverpool were represented by centre back Virgil Van Dijk and forward Sadio Mane, while Chelsea winger Eden Hazard completed the list of nominees for the 2018-19 campaign.

Aguero is the league's joint top-scorer with 19 goals and Sterling has found the net 17 times as City aim to become the first team in a decade to defend the English top-flight title.

Van Dijk has transformed Liverpool's defence since joining the club from Southampton in Jan. 2018, and has been key in the Merseyside club keeping 18 clean sheets this season.

Mane was rewarded for his 18 league goals this campaign, while Hazard has been Chelsea's standout performer with 16 goals and 12 assists.

Sterling and Silva are also up for the PFA Young Player of the Year award alongside Liverpool full back Trent Alexander-Arnold, West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks.

The winners, voted for by the PFA members, will be announced at the annual awards ceremony on April 28.

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva have made the six-man shortlist for the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Players' Player of the Year award, the organisation said on Saturday.

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva have made the six-man shortlist for the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Players' Player of the Year award, the organisation said on Saturday. Premier League leaders Liverpool were represented by centre back Virgil Van Dijk and forward Sadio Mane, while Chelsea winger Eden Hazard completed the list of nominees for the 2018-19 campaign. Aguero is the league's joint top-scorer with 19 goals and Sterling has found the net 17 times as City aim to become the first team in a decade to defend the English top-flight title. Van Dijk has transformed Liverpool's defence since joining the club from Southampton in Jan. 2018, and has been key in the Merseyside club keeping 18 clean sheets this season. Mane was rewarded for his 18 league goals this campaign, while Hazard has been Chelsea's standout performer with 16 goals and 12 assists. Sterling and Silva are also up for the PFA Young Player of the Year award alongside Liverpool full back Trent Alexander-Arnold, West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Bournemouth midfielder David Brooks. The winners, voted for by the PFA members, will be announced at the annual awards ceremony on April 28.

Three Manchester City players make it to the six-man shortlist for PFA award

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling accused British newspapers of helping to "fuel racism" with the way they portray young black footballers after he suffered alleged abuse during Manchester City's defeat at Chelsea.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/chelsea-launch-investigation-into-racist-abuse-aimed-at-raheem-sterling-182569">Chelsea and the police are investigating the incident </a>at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, which was highlighted on social media.

Sterling, 24, posted on Instagram on Sunday, referencing a story from January about City teammate Tosin Adarabioyo reportedly buying an expensive house despite never having started a Premier League match.

"The young black kid is looked at in a bad light. Which helps fuel racism and&nbsp;aggressive behaviour," Sterling wrote.

"So for all the newspapers that don't understand why people are racist in this day and age all I have to say is have a second thought about fair publicity and&nbsp;give all players an equal chance."

Sterling received a barrage of abuse from home supporters as he retrieved the ball from behind the goal during the first half of the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, which City lost 2-0.

The England international said he was not surprised by the behaviour of the fans but did not elaborate on what was said.

"I just want to say, I am not normally the person to talk a lot but when I think I need my point heard I will speak up," he posted.

"Regarding what was said at the Chelsea game, as you can see by my reaction I just had to laugh because I don't expect no better."

In his social media post, Sterling refers to headlines about Adarabioyo, 21, and fellow City youngster Phil Foden buying houses.

While the article about Adarabioyo focuses on how he spent £2.25 million ($2.9 million) on a property without making a top-flight appearance, midfielder Foden, 18, is described as having "set up a future".

"You have two young players starting out their careers&nbsp;both play for the same team, both have done the right thing, which is buying a new house for their mothers who have put in a lot of time and love into helping them get where they are," said Sterling.

"But look at how the newspapers get their message across for the young black player and then for the young white player.

"I think this is unacceptable, both innocent, have not done a thing wrong but just by the way it has been worded."

Sterling, who recently signed a contract extension with Manchester City, has previously faced negative publicity, often for non-football issues.

Treated as a scapegoat during England's disastrous Euro 2016 campaign, he dubbed himself "The Hated One" on Instagram.

Sterling was widely criticised again ahead of this year's World Cup in Russia for having a tattoo of a gun on his leg.&nbsp;

He explained it was a tribute to his father, who was shot dead in his birthplace of Jamaica when Sterling was just two years old.

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling accused British newspapers of helping to "fuel racism" with the way they portray young black footballers after he suffered alleged abuse during Manchester City's defeat at Chelsea.

Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling accused British newspapers of helping to "fuel racism" with the way they portray young black footballers after he suffered alleged abuse during Manchester City's defeat at Chelsea. Chelsea and the police are investigating the incident at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, which was highlighted on social media. Sterling, 24, posted on Instagram on Sunday, referencing a story from January about City teammate Tosin Adarabioyo reportedly buying an expensive house despite never having started a Premier League match. "The young black kid is looked at in a bad light. Which helps fuel racism and aggressive behaviour," Sterling wrote. "So for all the newspapers that don't understand why people are racist in this day and age all I have to say is have a second thought about fair publicity and give all players an equal chance." Sterling received a barrage of abuse from home supporters as he retrieved the ball from behind the goal during the first half of the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, which City lost 2-0. The England international said he was not surprised by the behaviour of the fans but did not elaborate on what was said. "I just want to say, I am not normally the person to talk a lot but when I think I need my point heard I will speak up," he posted. "Regarding what was said at the Chelsea game, as you can see by my reaction I just had to laugh because I don't expect no better." In his social media post, Sterling refers to headlines about Adarabioyo, 21, and fellow City youngster Phil Foden buying houses. While the article about Adarabioyo focuses on how he spent £2.25 million ($2.9 million) on a property without making a top-flight appearance, midfielder Foden, 18, is described as having "set up a future". "You have two young players starting out their careers both play for the same team, both have done the right thing, which is buying a new house for their mothers who have put in a lot of time and love into helping them get where they are," said Sterling. "But look at how the newspapers get their message across for the young black player and then for the young white player. "I think this is unacceptable, both innocent, have not done a thing wrong but just by the way it has been worded." Sterling, who recently signed a contract extension with Manchester City, has previously faced negative publicity, often for non-football issues. Treated as a scapegoat during England's disastrous Euro 2016 campaign, he dubbed himself "The Hated One" on Instagram. Sterling was widely criticised again ahead of this year's World Cup in Russia for having a tattoo of a gun on his leg. He explained it was a tribute to his father, who was shot dead in his birthplace of Jamaica when Sterling was just two years old.

Man City forward Raheem Sterling accuses newspapers of fuelling racism

Manchester City winger Raheem&nbsp;Sterling&nbsp;has hit out at the quality of officials in England, claiming players could miss the World Cup because they&rsquo;re being &quot;butchered&quot; by bad challenges.

City star Leroy Sane was sidelined for up to seven weeks after a bad tackle by Cardiff&rsquo;s Joe Bennett in their 2-0 win in the FA Cup last weekend.

Referee Bobby Madley then failed to show a red card to West Brom&rsquo;s Matt Phillips after his knee-high challenge on youngster Brahim Diaz in the closing stages.

It follows a glut of incidents on City players this season, none of which were punished with dismissals.

Manager Pep Guardiola has repeatedly asked for referees to protect the players, but his calls appear to fall on deaf ears.

But now&nbsp;Sterling, 23, is backing up his manager, saying the nature of the tackles could put those on the receiving end in serious trouble.

He said: &ldquo;I find it a bit unfair at times. I feel that we haven&rsquo;t been protected enough in certain situations. I think some of the challenges have been awful.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not what I expect to see in a top-flight football match -- especially when teams are losing and just go out to kick players.

&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think that&rsquo;s right. I do think we need to cut down on that because we&rsquo;ve got a World Cup at the end of the year and majority of the players in the top flight and in our team will be playing in it.

&ldquo;It would be sad to see someone miss the tournament due to a silly tackle and someone gets away with it.

&ldquo;These tackles can happen -- but it can&rsquo;t be every game we&rsquo;re getting two players coming in with injuries.

&ldquo;There are going to be challenges that are badly timed and probably not all of them are intentional, but at the same time, if it&rsquo;s a dangerous tackle, it&rsquo;s a dangerous tackle.

&ldquo;I think the referees and officials need to cut these tackles out because as you can see some of the players are getting butchered out there and it&rsquo;s sad to see.

&ldquo;But I just feel we need to try and cut this out of the game.&rdquo;

Guardiola has called for officials to protect not just his stars, but all players -- though he has not had much support from his peers.

Cardiff boss Neil Warnock commented after the FA Cup tie that Guardiola should expect strong challenges in England, while West Brom manager Alan Pardew accused the Catalan of trying to get the crowd to put pressure on the referee.

It was sparked by several weeks of incidents that could have left some of the Premier League leaders&rsquo; team badly hurt.

Kevin De Bruyne was stretchered off at Crystal Palace after being hacked down by Jason Puncheon, weeks after he was on the receiving end of a studs-up challenge by Tottenham&rsquo;s Dele Alli.

Sterling&nbsp;was also caught late by Harry Kane in the first half of that match, which finished 4-1 to City.

City already has long-term injury problems with Benjamin Mendy, Gabriel Jesus and Sane still missing.

&nbsp;

Raheem Sterling has hit out at the quality of officials in England, claiming players could miss the World Cup because they’re being "butchered" by bad challenges

Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has hit out at the quality of officials in England, claiming players could miss the World Cup because they’re being "butchered" by bad challenges. City star Leroy Sane was sidelined for up to seven weeks after a bad tackle by Cardiff’s Joe Bennett in their 2-0 win in the FA Cup last weekend. Referee Bobby Madley then failed to show a red card to West Brom’s Matt Phillips after his knee-high challenge on youngster Brahim Diaz in the closing stages. It follows a glut of incidents on City players this season, none of which were punished with dismissals. Manager Pep Guardiola has repeatedly asked for referees to protect the players, but his calls appear to fall on deaf ears. But now Sterling, 23, is backing up his manager, saying the nature of the tackles could put those on the receiving end in serious trouble. He said: “I find it a bit unfair at times. I feel that we haven’t been protected enough in certain situations. I think some of the challenges have been awful. “It’s not what I expect to see in a top-flight football match -- especially when teams are losing and just go out to kick players. “I don’t think that’s right. I do think we need to cut down on that because we’ve got a World Cup at the end of the year and majority of the players in the top flight and in our team will be playing in it. “It would be sad to see someone miss the tournament due to a silly tackle and someone gets away with it. “These tackles can happen -- but it can’t be every game we’re getting two players coming in with injuries. “There are going to be challenges that are badly timed and probably not all of them are intentional, but at the same time, if it’s a dangerous tackle, it’s a dangerous tackle. “I think the referees and officials need to cut these tackles out because as you can see some of the players are getting butchered out there and it’s sad to see. “But I just feel we need to try and cut this out of the game.” Guardiola has called for officials to protect not just his stars, but all players -- though he has not had much support from his peers. Cardiff boss Neil Warnock commented after the FA Cup tie that Guardiola should expect strong challenges in England, while West Brom manager Alan Pardew accused the Catalan of trying to get the crowd to put pressure on the referee. It was sparked by several weeks of incidents that could have left some of the Premier League leaders’ team badly hurt. Kevin De Bruyne was stretchered off at Crystal Palace after being hacked down by Jason Puncheon, weeks after he was on the receiving end of a studs-up challenge by Tottenham’s Dele Alli. Sterling was also caught late by Harry Kane in the first half of that match, which finished 4-1 to City. City already has long-term injury problems with Benjamin Mendy, Gabriel Jesus and Sane still missing.

EPL: Man City players butchered by poor tackles, says Sterling