The position envisaged by the Guardian writers: 2nd (NB: this is not necessarily Jamie Jackson's prediction but the average of our writers' tips)
Last season's position: 1st
Perspectives
Like a bet that rain will ruin the English summer, predicting that Manchester City will (again) retain the title has become a near-certainty, a sure bet. The common sense answer, then, as to whether last season's fourth consecutive title It could become an even more remarkable fifth consecutive title, but the answer is “yes” because, despite the mental and physical stamina required, the notion that Pep Guardiola’s blue-collar winning machine can emerge from the mid-winter slog is a real one.Be there“The fight, as the coach says, for another perfectly timed win is a logic that has created City's supremacy.
The problem, however, is that last season they were unable to repeat the greatness of their magnificent prime, such as, for example, winning the treble of the previous campaign. They had to seal the championship. in the final matchAnd they did, and not for the first time. And there is a perceptible sense of end times in this iteration of Guardiola, as Kevin De Bruyne (33), Kyle Walker (34) age, Ederson and Bernardo Silva could leave, and the manager enters the final 12 months of his contract yet to decide whether these will be his last at the club.
However, when De Bruyne was injured In the first half of last season, Phil Foden’s response was to score 19 league goals and take both footballer of the year awards, having finally come of age. For reasons of competition and quality, Guardiola likes to refresh his squad, so signing (so far) only winger Savinho from sister club Troyes (after a loan spell at another CFG side, Girona) for around £30m is a rarity. But the window has not yet closed and City have a penchant for making smart signings in the late summer. With Julian Alvarez joining Atletico Madrid in a deal worth up to £81.5m, they may need to do so.