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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Joe Bray

Kevin De Bruyne sends assist record message ahead of Man City's final game

Kevin De Bruyne insists he is not bothered if he does not break the Premier League assist record in Manchester City's final game of the season at home to relegated Norwich.

De Bruyne has 19 assists - his best-ever return in a season - and needs one more to equal Thierry Henry's record in the final match.

The Belgian already feels like he has broken the record, but has had two assists taken off him in both meetings with Arsenal, after the Premier League judged the ball took a deflection into the path of the goalscorer. De Bruyne has taken to Twitter to question both decisions.

However, officially he is still short of the record, and was asked about how much it will come into his thinking when City host Norwich on Sunday.

"It's just funny, it's not that I've really been thinking about it," he told Soccer AM.

"I spoke about it like two years ago when Henry was assistant for Belgium. I think I finished the season with 16 that time and the season before with 18. He was like 'oh you're coming close! You've got a shot one day."

"I saw him at Vinny's testimonial and I'd started the season well, I think I had five in four games. I said, 'I'm coming for you!' So it's just a nice challenge.

"It keeps you focussed in a way but if it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen and it's still been an incredible season."

De Bruyne is not the only player in with a shout of individual honours this season, with Raheem Sterling technically still in the Golden Boot race, sitting four goals behind leader Jamie Vardy.

Ederson is also level with Burnley's Nick Pope in the race for the Golden Glove award, knowing a clean sheet vs Norwich will land him that trophy, at least jointly with Pope.

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