The season is almost upon us, which means the unpredictability and excitement of the Premier League beckons once again.
Manchester City stole the spotlight last term, taking a stranglehold of top spot early on and never letting go. Their grip only ever got tighter, and eventually Pep Guardiola and co. had the luxury to be able to focus on breaking records in the dying embers of the campaign.
That is a stark contrast from Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, former City title winners. The latter relied on a Steven Gerrard slip and a late-season surge to nab the Premier League out of nowhere, while the former…well, you know the story.
And from ‘AGUEROOOO’ moments; to crucial slip-ups; to mesmerising football of the highest calibre, Manchester City have always won the title in a unique, eye-catching style.
However, they have never clinched it in consecutive seasons. Under Pep Guardiola that opportunity has never shone brighter. The Sky Blues can continue to make history, and here are three reasons why they will.
Transfer business has been smart
While clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal have overseen complete overhauls in the summer – as Manchester City did this time last year – the Sky Blues have smartened.
Pep Guardiola’s aim in this transfer window was to build on what we already have, develop youth by sending them out on loan, and bring in one or two high quality players to bolster an already fearsome-looking squad.
Guardiola achieved that goal by finally enticing Riyad Mahrez from Leicester, however struggled to secure the central defensive midfielder Manchester City required. Jorginho, Marco Verratti and Thiago Alcantara were all linked with the Sky Blues throughout the window, however none of the transfers materialised.
Despite that minor setback, this has been a window to reflect on the talent City already have. And after soaring to the title by such a mammoth margin last term, Guardiola has every right to maintain full trust in the squad he has already.
Fernandinho’s age and poor World Cup may become a cause for concern further down the line, but right now he seems the right man to shield the back four.
Guardiola may have been tempted to bring in a vast number of huge signings, with the financial backing available to him, but his acumen at the top level was useful in ensuring Manchester City remained the grounded, title-winning team they exhibited last term.
An essential backbone including Ederson, Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva and Sergio Aguero will continue for another campaign, and hopefully reap similar rewards to the last.