Football Season Guide

Record-breaking season for Guardiola’s City lifted the bar extremely high, but the ambitious gaffer and his bunch of superstars like to challenge themselves and they will definitely be looking for even greater things this season. Logically no major names departed the Citizens this summer, while the failed January transfer of Riyad Mahrez was completed recently and with another top class winger in their ranks City really look menacing. Great depth in every area of the pitch, extremely solid goalkeeper and defence, wizard of a playmaker like De Bruyne and two lethal poachers (Aguero and Jesus) lurking inside the box suggest that City will be setting the standards once again this season. All that said the Sky Blues are pressed to finally achieve big things in the Champions League and Guardiola already stated that the main goal set in front of him by the Board is to try and win this competition. Knowing that and the gaffer’s tendency to use constant rotation City might be fielding some of the supporting players in many of their Premier League matches this season. Mahrez and Sterling will definitely be rotating a lot down the right wing, while youngster Jesus should be given much more playing time domestically as the team’s big star Aguero is expected to lead the line in the Champions League. Three players that will possibly start every game are goalkeeper Ederson, anchor-man Fernandinho and the main creative force De Bruyne. They are the three key figures in the current City squad and Guardiola recognises that. The Citizens constantly change their system and they could easily play with three, four, or even two at times, in defence. Up front Sane is expected to have an even better campaign than last time around, with Jesus aiming to improve his average conversion rate. The 18-year-old midfielder Foden could also emerge as someone to watch out for during this campaign after already taking part in several matches last season.