Manchester City completed football last season so it is going to be interesting to see how hungry this group of players is this time around. If they aren’t completely focused, they could relinquish their grip on the Premier League title.
How the team did last season
Pep Guardiola’s side looked off the pace early on and found themselves five points behind Arsenal in the race for the title when the Premier League paused for the World Cup break.
As usual, though, they eventually clicked into gear. In the 24 English top-flight matches the team played following the mid-season break, City won 18 and this included a winning run of 12 games between February and May.
Erling Haaland broke the Premier League goalscoring record, finding the back of the net on 36 occasions. The former Borussia Dortmund striker involved himself in 44 goals last term and claimed a FotMob rating of 7.76. Only one player in the entire Premier League managed a higher average.
City had to switch the system mid-way through the campaign to get themselves back on track but it paid off. Guardiola was using Nathan Ake as a left-back and John Stones as an inverted right-back, making a 3-2-2-3 shape in possession. It turned out to be a masterstroke as both players had a key role in the Citizens going on to win a historic treble.
The most important month for City was in April. They started off with a 4-1 win over Liverpool and then finished it off with a 4-1 win over Arsenal to really assert their dominance in the Premier League.
What has happened during the summer?
Not as much as you would’ve thought.
The reigning champions have only been able to add Mateo Kovačić to their ranks. The former Chelsea man will boost Guardiola’s midfield options but he’s one of only two new faces through the door at the time of writing.
Compatriot Joško Gvardiol is the other, with the arrival of a new left-sided centre-back meaning there’s an expectation that Aymeric Laporte will leave the club. There is still uncertainty over whether or not Bernardo Silva will seek a transfer with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly keen. If he does depart, expect City to make a move for a left-sided attacker with both Michael Olise and Jeremy Doku mooted as possibilities.
City have already sold Riyad Mahrez to Al-Ahli for a fee believed to be in the region of £30million while İlkay Gündoğan left on a free transfer to join Barcelona.
What they should be aiming for next season?
City will always be title favourites. They have a stacked squad and they have the money to make a transfer happen out of nothing if they’re ever a little short towards the end of the transfer window, it is exactly what they did with Manuel Akanji last season.
They have the experience and the know-how to go on long winning runs. They also possess the most dangerous striker in world football in Haaland. With him at their disposal, they’re always going to be amongst the goals and goals win you games.
The only real question mark is whether or not they’re going to be up for the fight again after a long 2022/23 season. It can take a lot out of teams.
Prediction
1st.
(Images from IMAGO)
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