Pep Guardiola finds himself in uncharted territory at Manchester City as he aims to reclaim the Premier League title this season.
The Citizens fell way off the pace to eventual champions Liverpool in the league last term, but did manage to pick up form in the second half of the season on their way to a third-place finish.
Guardiola has implemented wholesale changes to his Manchester City side, including the controversial decision to allow Kevin De Bruyne to join Napoli after ten years with the club.
Pep Guardiola looks on during the Club World Cup.
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Arguably, the eight-time Premier League champions are worse off heading into the upcoming campaign following their transfer dealings and the news that Rodri has suffered a fresh injury setback.
However, Tijjani Reijnders perhaps showed the Manchester City faithful signs of what is to come ahead of his debut campaign in England and proved he could potentially fill the void left by De Bruyne.
Tijjani Reijnders responds to De Bruyne display in perfect fashion
The 27-year-old was introduced for the second half of the final pre-season friendly against Palermo and ultimately decided the game with his brace, adding to Erling Haaland’s opener.
Reijnders is all but guaranteed a starting berth for the Premier League curtain raiser against Wolves, with Rodri expected to remain on the sidelines until the September international break, and Phil Foden is also a fitness concern ahead of the clash.
He proved more than capable of getting himself involved in the goals at AC Milan, ending his final season at the San Siro with 15 goals and four assists across all competitions.
Albeit Reijnders fits the profile more of a deep-lying midfielder than the role De Bruyne held at the Etihad, Guardiola will undoubtedly be demanding that his squad share out the goals.
Manchester City FC v Al-Hilal: Round Of 16 - FIFA Club World Cup 2025
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More often than not last season, Manchester City struggled to find their killer edge in front of goal outside of Haaland, who endured an underwhelming campaign compared to his usual standards.
Rayan Cherki can also operate in the De Bruyne role if needed, and this could benefit Reijnders. Manchester City fans have high expectations for the Frenchman, which in turn eases the pressure on Reijnders to immediately make an impact.
Only time will tell how fast Reijnders can settle into life in England, but if his performance against Palermo is anything to go by, there is a very good chance the Dutch international hits the ground running.
Kevin De Bruyne shows Pep Guardiola what he is missing
Regardless of how well Reijnders performed on Saturday, many Manchester City fans will continue to question the decision to allow De Bruyne to walk away from the Etihad.
The Belgian maestro has seamlessly slotted in with his new Napoli teammates and is already showcasing his ability to single-handedly decide results.
De Bruyne scored twice and added an assist in a 3-2 win against Girona as he turned back the clock for the Serie A champions.
Kevin De Bruyne celebrating during the pre-season friendly match between Napoli and Girona at Stadio Teofilo Patini.
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At 34, he may be in the twilight years of his career, but clearly still has plenty to offer. Mikel Arteta dubbed De Bruyne one of the best players in Premier League history prior to leaving England.
His contributions throughout his Premier League career will undoubtedly see the Belgian international mentioned in the same breath as legends Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.
It is surprisingly overlooked how much of a loss De Bruyne will be for Manchester City – whether his departure has significant ramifications for Guardiola this season will ultimately be decided by how well his new signings gel with the squad.