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It’s like Kevin de Bruyne has a crystal ball: Jamie Redknapp

Former Liverpool players Jamie Redknapp and Jamie Carragher hailed Manchester City's midfield maestro Kevin de Bruyne after his impressive performance in the English Premier League champions' 3-0 win at Arsenal yesterday morning (Singapore time).

The Belgian scored two sublime goals and created another for Raheem Sterling at the Emirates.

De Bruyne was unplayable in the first half, thumping home a side-footed opener from outside the area and then making it 3-0 with a silky finish just before half-time.

He was denied a hat-trick before the break when his curler was tipped acrobatically against the post by Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno.

Carragher said of the 28-year-old playmaker on Sky Sports: "He's the best in the world, in terms of that position, as an offensive midfield player...

"You think of all the great foreign players, (Dennis) Bergkamp, (Gianfranco) Zola, (Eric) Cantona. We're going to speak about (David) Silva like that and we're going to speak about de Bruyne whenever he leaves Man City like that.

"He's a cut above anyone in that position in the Premier League and the world."

Redknapp agreed, calling de Bruyne one of the two best midfielders in the world.

He wrote in his Daily Mail column: "There are two midfielders who stand out to me in world football right now, and they are Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne and Frenkie de Jong of Barcelona.

"These two are different class. Their brains are so in tune with modern football.

"The intelligence of their runs, the timing of their tackles, the way they read the game and know what is about to happen as if they have a crystal ball tucked in their socks!"

City youngster Phil Foden, 19, meanwhile, said he was fortunate to be able to learn from de Bruyne."

He said: "It's a pleasure to play with Kevin de Bruyne, he is one of our biggest players. I feel lucky to learn off him."

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