Liverpool FC have just made Man City's Ilkay Gundogan task even more important

It didn't need a goal after 12 seconds and an FA Cup-winning brace to show how important Ilkay Gundogan is to Manchester City but it didn't half make the prospect of losing him even scarier.

Gundogan has been at City since the very beginning of the Pep Guardiola revolution and after years of playing a supporting role to the headline-grabbing stars of David Silva, Sergio Aguero and even Vincent Kompany, he has truly taken centre stage over the last 12 months. It's fitting that the man who epitomises the Blues boss' footballing ideal more than any other is the one who has repeatedly been the difference when it matters most.

There were some raised eyebrows when Gundogan was voted as captain by his teammates last year upon Fernandinho's departure, as he beat the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Ruben Dias to the armband. After now lifting two trophies he personally clinched and being on the cusp of a third, City fans are begging him to continue doing so into next season.

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There's a real risk he won't. City have made a habit of tactfully but efficiently moving on legends when they have passed their peaks instead of falling into the sentiment trap. Fernandinho, Aguero, Silva, Kompany, Yaya Toure, Joe Hart and Pablo Zabaleta have all moved on over the last six summers but this time the club doesn't want to lose a player so integral to their success.

Gundogan is now 32 but he's playing better than ever. Which is saying something. The German is Guardiola's most trusted lieutenant on the field and is always relied upon in the biggest games.

He was integral in the 2019 title win as he filled in the holding role for an injured Fernandinho