Football Season Guide

Manchester City bounced back after a slow start to last season to secure their fifth title in six years. The Sky Blues recorded 11 straight victories and went on a 19-game unbeaten run to overtake Arsenal at the top of the table, with star striker Erling Haaland netting 36 times to break Alan Shearer and Andy Cole's record for most goals in a Premier League campaign. Pep Guardiola saw starting midfielder Ilkay Gundogan depart the club after his contract expired and replaced him with Chelsea’s experienced star Mateo Kovacic. Man City have also parted ways with sometimes starting winger Riyad Mahrez, while starting defender Kyle Walker may follow suit. The Sky Blues have also landed prodigious centre-back Josko Gvardiol in record transfer to further strengthen their backline. After reconfiguring his defence and shifting to a 3-2-4-1 formation featuring a double pivot, Guardiola is building on last year’s success. Gundogan played a prominent role in seeing Manchester City win the treble last season, but Kovacic has what it takes to fill in his predecessor’s boots in midfield. Boasting the likes of Haaland, Jack Grealish and Kevin de Bruyne, Manchester City are extremely strong in the final third. Guardiola’s side netted 94 goals last season, averaging almost 2.5 goals per game. Despite having one of the most complete squads in the Premier League, the Sky Blues lost a couple of stalwarts in Gundogan and Mahrez – two of the most experienced players in their squad last season. Both played key roles in Manchester City’s treble campaign and scored combined 13 goals in the Premier League.