Kevin De Bruyne winner sends Manchester City into semi-finals with victory over Paris Saint-Germain

Kevin De Bruyne justified Manchester City's faith in him by scoring the winner to send Manchester City into the Champions League last four.

Having spent two-and-a-half months out with ankle and knee ligament damage, the Belgium forward secured City's place in the last four for the first time in their history by slamming home the decisive goal on 76 minutes after a 2-2 draw in the quarter-final first leg in Paris a week ago.

De Bruyne was the outstanding player on the park, and it was fitting he found the winner to succeed for City against the runaway French champions, who were too strong for Chelsea in the previous round.

There were plenty of empty seats and a palpable subdued atmosphere at the Etihad. Very odd for supposedly one of the biggest games in the hosts’ history. Inflated ticket prices might have had something to do with it.

Defences were on top right from the off – not a statement we thought we’d be penning after last week’s first leg.

However, City had the perfect opportunity to put themselves in the driving seat on the half-hour mark, but Sergio Aguero side-footed a penalty tamely wide after he was fouled by Kevin Trapp – his second miss from his last three Champions League spot-kicks.

Neither side could find their rhythm and Laurent Blanc couldn’t seem to settle on a system – made even more difficult with Thiago Motta being withdrawn through injury just before the interval.

In the second half, the quality levels remained low, with the visitors again struggling to utilise their attacking arsenal.

Just when it looked as we were set for an unexpected stalemate, the only player who has shown any real quality in the whole tie stepped up to the plate.

Nobody seemed to want to have a go at goal, so De Bruyne took it upon himself to do so, throwing a dummy before curling a sublime effort past Trapp to send the Etihad into raptures.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic did have the ball in the net, but it was ruled out for offside. Again, on the big stage, the Swede rarely produced his best.

It wasn't pretty, but City will take a first semi-final appearance in the club’s history, while the questions over the Parisiens' metal on the big occasion remain.

Pep Guardiola could be at the Etihad sooner than first thought – what a story that would be!

Where would City be if De Bruyne had stayed fit? The Belgian forward was the best player on the pitch in both legs, and on a night of little skill worthy of such a stage, the Belgian showed City fans what hey had been missing over the last few months. City have inexplicably fallen out of the title race, despite having one of the best squads in the Premier League. However, had De Bruyne stayed fit, a treble of trophies could well have been a distinct possibility in Pellegrini’s swansong.

Kevin De Bruyne. One of City’s defenders are unlucky not be have been given the award, but PSG offered such little threat, they will not have had many easier nights. De Bruyne didn’t light up the whole game, but his moment of brilliance, while all others were toiling to string a few passes together, is enough to win this accolade alone.

Manchester City: Hart 7, Sagna 6, Otamendi 7, Mangala 7, Clichy 7, Fernando 6, Fernandinho 6, Navas 6, Silva 6, De Bruyne 7, Aguero 5. Subs: Iheanacho N/A, Toure 6, Delph 6

PSG: Trapp 6, Thiago Silva 6, Marquinhos 6, Maxwell 5, Aurier 4, Van der Wiel 6, Rabiot 5, Thiago Motta 5, Di María 5, Cavani 4, Ibrahimovic 5. Subs: Lucas 6, Pastore 6.

17’ - WHAT A HIT! Ibrahimovic smashes a free-kick at goal, it is swerving en route to goal, but Joe Hart watches it all the way and tips the ball over. Some power from the Swede!

29’ - PENALTY TO MAN CITY! Trapp brings down Aguero. Yellow card for PSG 'keeper.

30’ - MISS! Aguero puts it wide. Awful penalty from the Argentine. Was a stonewall penalty, but the visitors have been let off the hook.

40’ - CLOSE! Poor from PSG again at the back. Awful pass from Aurier is loose, falls to Navas, but the Spaniard curls wide from a good position.

48’ - SAVE! First real save for Hart to make, as the England stopper does well to beat away a fierce Ibrahimovic hit from the free-kick. That was travelling!

76’ - GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 PSG. The best player on the pitch by far, De Bruyne engineers the space for a shot for himself and breaks the deadlock to send the Etihad into raptures.

79’ - SAVE! Hart keeps City in front. The England 'keeper is out like lightening to close the angle and smother Cavani's chip at goal.

86’ - NO GOAL! Ibrahimovic sticks home Maxwell's cross, but is denied by the linesman's flag. Was well off. Has to do better to stay level there.

Kevin De Bruyne has scored with both of his shots on target for Manchester City in this tie against PSG. His winning goal in this match was Manchester City’s only shot on target in the game.

PSG have won only one of their eight European away games against English opposition (W1 D3 L4).

Manchester City have become the 10th different English club to make a Champions League/European Cup semi-final (after Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Derby, Leeds, Liverpool, Man Utd, Nottm Forest & Spurs).

Man City are only the fourth English side to reach the Champions League semi-finals since 2010-11 (Man Utd 2010-11, Chelsea 2011-12, Chelsea 2013-14).