The way Kevin De Bruyne led the line during the second half of Wednesday's Champions League meeting with Sevilla had the cut of a man who had dragged Manchester City past the finishing post for more than a decade.

His industrious, inspiring, and match-winning performance, however, was just another game in a blistering spell that started with his debut for the club on Sept. 12.

Since Sheikh Mansour poured his riches into City's depleted coffers in 2008, the club has spent the best part of £850 million on talent. Names like Robinho, Carlos Tevez, and Mario Balotelli have been and gone in that time. Many others who have been vital to the transformation of the club - such as Sergio Aguero, David Silva, and Yaya Toure - still remain.

No player of this hugely successful era has had an instant impact similar to that of De Bruyne. There hasn't been one like it at City for more than 17 years, when an aged and troubled Andy Morrison completely reversed a faltering side's fortunes and led the club out of the third tier of English football.

The numbers were there from De Bruyne's 2014-15 campaign with Wolfsburg. He had five more assists than Silva, Aguero, Raheem Sterling, and Samir Nasri combined last season. More assists (20) than anyone else from the top five European leagues, in fact. He plundered 10 goals, too, and won the player of the year award in Germany despite the legion of national heroes at league champion Bayern Munich, which had recently won the World Cup with Die Mannschaft.

But there were concerns. Concerns that he hadn't made the cut during two years with Premier League rival Chelsea, and that his old manager, Jose Mourinho, described him in terms which suggested he was work-shy, immature, and petulant. Also concerns that £54 million was not only an inflated fee, but one that the 24-year-old would buckle under.

Six starts, four goals, and three assists have laid waste to those pessimistic predictions, and not only has he shown incredible panache across City's front line, he has also surprised many with his unrelenting travails.

Against Sevilla he was thrust farther forward during the second half in a free role, and he was everywhere. His hard running was awarded with a last-minute winner that saw his new side draw to within a point of Group D topper Juventus.

And for a lad who is not a vocal member of the dressing room, one who could be described as an introvert, he exudes confidence on the football pitch. His intelligence is always apparent, and he took it upon himself in the midweek match to assume a leadership role. He was bossing around Bacary Sagna - eight years his senior and hardened by more than 70 European outings - and the right-back listened.

He was skipper in every way except for the donning of an armband, and this in a team that has a wealth of senior members, and one that he has represented for less than 600 minutes.

In a short spell in East Manchester, the fans already adore De Bruyne. There is no greater compliment paid from older supporters than being mentioned in the same breath as Colin Bell, who was mesmeric for City in the 60s and 70s, and has the west stand of the Etihad Stadium named after him.

Next up for City is a trip to arch rival Manchester United. Some have folded in the heated atmosphere of the local derby, particularly in the 76,000 fortress of Old Trafford, but given the maturity De Bruyne has shown since his move to the Citizens, it is likely that he will take a central role in Sunday's crunch match.