Guardian writers’ predicted position: 3rd (NB: this is not necessarily Will Unwin’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season: 3rd
Prospects
Plenty of money, about £300m, has been spent over the past eight months to get City back on track after a disastrous season by their standards. They finished a distant third and lost the FA Cup final, leaving them trophyless. The latest crop of incomings got a brief taste of life under Pep Guardiola at the Club World Cup and all showed promise. After Rodri missed most of last season, it feels as if his fitness will decide the fate of the team. If Guardiola can get him back to his best – and keep him fit – after a horrible injury, then City can feel excited once again.
Guardiola has indicated City need to adapt to the evolution of football, having struggled with the increase in physicality and fitness that has blunted their skills. There could be a greater emphasis on dribbling past opponents to try to open up the spaces. Rayan Cherki, Phil Foden, Jérémy Doku and Savinho will be extremely important in a post-Kevin De Bruyne world. City struggled more than ever when it came to breaking down teams last season and Guardiola felt his team were unable to cope with the physicality of others.
It will be interesting to see who gets the nod in goal on the opening weekend. Ederson has been Guardiola’s No 1 for years, but the arrival of James Trafford could change that. The Brazilian has redefined the position and Trafford, a former City academy player, is part of a new generation who followed his strategy and have attempted to replicate his ability to distribute the ball short and long. Trafford is young and not the finished article, but he has all the qualities to be a world-class goalkeeper for years to come.
At the other end, Erling Haaland will be as dangerous as always, with fitness the only question mark hanging over him after some disruptions. Unlike this time last year, Guardiola has a second striker he can all upon if needs be in Omar Marmoush. The Egyptian was integral in reigniting City’s season after arriving in January and should be fully settled, giving them extra dimensions.
The manager
Pep Guardiola took last season personally, upset with himself for failing to arrest the slide and irritated by underperforming players. He will not accept a similar showing this season, especially after the sizable outlay on reshaping the squad. Guardiola overhauled his coaching staff, with the most eye-catching appointment being Jürgen Klopp’s former No 2 Pep Ljinders, who joins as an assistant coach. The change in personnel will bring new ideas, something Guardiola was seeking as he sought a refresh on the pitch and in the dugout.
Off-field picture
Those pesky charges just will not go away for Manchester City and the Premier League. It feels…
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