Manchester City will enter the 2025/26 campaign looking to bring the Premier League title back to the Etihad Stadium.
After becoming the first team in English top-flight history to win four titles in a row, City put up a weak defence last season, as there were several reasons for Man City’s underwhelming 2024/25 campaign.
Man City will get their Premier League season underway against Wolves, and only then will fans get a small understanding of whether Pep Guardiola’s side will be able to challenge Liverpool for the title, who will be seen as the favourites, given the ease with which the Reds won England’s top division last time around.
City’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup this summer has both positives and negatives, but one of the good things is that Guardiola will get to see his new signings in competitive action earlier than expected.
The training ground is a place where journalists can monitor the differences between last season and the campaign on the horizon, and what is coming out of the Man City training camp should have the rest of the Premier League worried.
Pep Guardiola during Man City training at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images
Pep Guardiola has his energy back
Guardiola has witnessed major changes take place at Man City over the last few weeks as the Premier League giants have added four new stars to their squad, while big changes have taken place within the Spaniard’s coaching staff.
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Pepijn Lijnders has impressed Guardiola so far, and the noise coming out of the Man City camp is that the legendary coach has his energy back ahead of the Club World Cup, which can be seen during the Manchester club’s training sessions.
“Guardiola, objectively bubblier than he has seemed for some time, tells Nathan Ake that ‘it’s good to be back, come on – we’ll rest when we die’ before boarding their flight to Palm Beach airport last Thursday,” Jack Gaughan wrote in his latest Daily Mail article about the 54-year-old.
Many in the football world consider Guardiola as the best manager on the planet, with others going as far as saying that the former Barcelona boss is the greatest of all time.
With renewed energy, new ideas coming from the latest additions to his staff, and fresh faces in the Man City squad, the condition the legendary coach will arrive into the new Premier League season should have the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal worried.
This will also increase if the English giants win the FIFA Club World Cup, while Guardiola will decide on new signings after the tournament’s conclusion, which would be another shot in the arm.
What is expected of Man City next season
Heading into the new season, Liverpool will be seen as the favourites to win the Premier League again, not only because they won the division with ease last time around, but Arne Slot will have added quality to his squad in the form of Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez.
Man City will be expected to be the closest challengers to the Reds, given their recent history and the new faces that have arrived at the Etihad Stadium.
Season Wins Draws Defeats Points
24/25 21 8 9 71
23/24 28 7 3 91
22/23 28 5 5 89
21/22 29 6 3 93
20/21 27 5 6 86
Man City’s last five Premier League seasons
Most fans of the Manchester club would likely take a good title fight and some silverware next season, given it is the first of their rebuild; however, it would not be a surprise if Guardiola bounced back by winning the Premier League.
Arsenal will also be in the race, but the Gunners have yet to strengthen last season’s squad, and until they do so, the North London club are very likely to fall short once again.