With the start of the 2016/17 Premier League season less than two weeks away, Premier League correspondent Richard Jolly provides his previews for each club. Here he looks at Manchester City.
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Manchester City have their dream appointment, in Pep Guardiola. Now we shall see if he can exert the impact they imagined.
They ended Manuel Pellegrini’s reign in a state of disrepair, looking an ageing team in need of fresh blood and new ideas.
Thus far, they have been more restrained than expected in the transfer market, bringing in Ilkay Gundogan, Nolito and Oleksandr Zinchenko without breaking the bank but others, John Stones and Leroy Sane in particular, are likely to join them and at greater cost.
Much of the intrigue with Guardiola, however, revolves around how much he can improve the players he inherited with his coaching and tactical prowess.
Certainly there are several — Raheem Sterling, David Silva, Yaya Toure, Nicolas Otamendi — who could have done better last year, and still more, such as Wilfried Bony and Eliaquim Mangala, who scarcely seem Guardiola players, though a clearout is yet to begin.
In Sergio Aguero and Kevin de Bruyne, Guardiola has two who could be devastating under his management but he has to render City more consistent — they only got back-to-back league wins once after October — and to restore the air of invincibility they used to have at the Etihad Stadium before a season of five home league defeats.
His record of six league titles and seven Uefa Champions League semi-final appearances from seven seasons of top-flight management is outstanding. Extending it will be no mean feat.
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Key Man: Vincent Kompany
The captain’s importance grew last season. City only conceded seven league goals with him on the pitch and, while Guardiola is expected to secure defensive reinforcements, they have looked a different team without the injury-prone Belgian.
Pivotal Signing: Ilkay Gundogan
The man brought in to set the direction of Guardiola’s City. The Spaniard likes passing midfielders and the £20 million (Dh96.8m) German could become the playmaker in chief, charged with supplying the attackers.
Point to Prove: Raheem Sterling
The most expensive Brit ever became a scapegoat for England’s failure at Euro 2016 and his only goals this year came against Aston Villa. Nolito’s arrival also means he faces more of a fight for his place.
Crucial Factor: Guardiola
How quickly Guardiola adapts to English football and his new players adjust to his methods and style of play. The 45-year-old has made a fast start at his two previous clubs but arguably inherited better players there.
Predicted finish: Champions
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