This weekend, the Premier League returns with the familiar question of who can stop Man City. The Etihad team has dominated the Premier League for nearly 10 years. Teams know this, but they have to work very hard if they want to break the dominance of coach Pep and his team.
Man City is still very strong
Whether defending champions Man City will be able to defend their title in the 2023-2024 season or not is the question that experts are asking right now. In terms of personnel, coach Pep has not made many changes, as he still retains the squad that made history last season. Although Man City said goodbye to captain midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, they have brought in Mateo Kovacic to replace him and especially added blockbuster Josko Gvardiol with a contract of up to 78 million pounds, making him the second most expensive central defender in the world.
Pep Guardiola currently has a very balanced, quality and deep squad with most of the pillars at their peak age, and has just strengthened 2 contracts as desired. With the genius mind of the Spanish coach, Man City will play "catch-up" with their opponents and challenge them on the way to becoming the first team to win 4 consecutive Premier League titles.
Up front, the trio of Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva will still occupy the starting positions if the Portuguese player does not leave the team. In fact, Bernardo played in many positions last season, not just fixed as a right winger. However, since Mahrez has left, he will start in this position by default. Phil Foden can be a backup for both Grealish and Bernardo on the two wings when needed. Meanwhile, Julian Alvarez will be a strategic backup for Haaland.
In defense, Man City will not have many changes. Ederson Moraes is still the reliable starter. Above him is the back four including Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, John Stones and Kyle Walker. If Walker leaves, Manuel Akanji will be the replacement. There is also new signing Gvardiol, who can play well in many positions from center back, right back and defensive midfielder.
Experts say that the blue team from Manchester is still very strong but it will not be easy to successfully defend the throne. Strong opponents such as Arsenal, MU, Liverpool, and even Chelsea will find every way to stop them.
Competitors actively prepare
Man City's long-term dominance of the Premier League has prompted former English football giants to invest heavily in preparation for the new season. They are determined to change the landscape and make the league more exciting. Arsenal is the team that has invested the most among the top 5 teams in the Premier League.
No longer a tight-fisted image, coach Arteta was given 208 million pounds by the team's board of directors to bring in 3 quality new players: Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber. These are considered important factors, helping the Gunners overcome the weaknesses in playing spirit and squad depth as shown last season.
The Gunners have broken down the psychological barrier after eight consecutive defeats to Man City, by defeating their opponents in the Community Shield last weekend. With valuable lessons from last season and valuable additions to the squad, the young Gunners are ready to become Man City's top rival next season.
Meanwhile, MU also showed their ambition in the new season with 3 blockbuster contracts including: Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Ramus Hojlund. The presence of these 3 new players will make coach Erik ten Hag's squad worth waiting for and their playing style will certainly change significantly.
After a season in charge, the Dutch coach has also helped MU have a clearer style with cohesion, solidity in defense, and efficiency in attack. These are the basic foundations for MU to become a great challenge to Man City and Arsenal.
Liverpool cannot be ruled out of the title race, despite a season to forget.
The Red Devils of Merseyside have detonated two blockbusters, Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister. These will be important factors to bring balance to Liverpool's midfield, connecting the attack with the defense, helping The Kop return strongly. After a chaotic year and failing to win a ticket to the European Cup, Chelsea under new coach Pochettino promises to be an unpredictable unknown.
| With the genius mind of the Spanish coach, Man City will again play "catch-up" with their opponents and challenge them on the way to becoming the first team to win 4 consecutive Premier League titles. |
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