Manchester City have a big year ahead ahead of them.

Prior to last season, no club had ever won four English league titles in a row. City ticked that one off in May by finishing two points clear of Arsenal, but now the chance to make it five on the spin is in front of Pep Guardiola and his squad of serial champions.

Then, there is the target of getting back on top in Europe following last season’s Champions League quarter-final exit and going all the way in the FA Cup and EFL Cup again. One thing that has still never been done by any English club is the ‘Quadruple’…and probably for good reason.

But this could be a seismic year in other ways too.

Guardiola is yet to make a decision on his future and, with a contract that expires in June, it’s not out of the question that this could be his ninth and final season at the Etihad Stadium. But he definitely hasn’t ruled out staying either – he’s already been at City far longer than any previous job.

Then, there is finally the outcome of the 115 charges levelled at City by the Premier League. A hearing date where an independent panel will review the allegations and evidence is set for mid-September and is expected to last two months.

Ultimately, the intention is for a verdict, including time for a possible appeal from either side, by the end of the season. If found guilty, City, who have strongly denied wrongdoing from the start, could be heavily, face a points deduction, or, at worst, be kicked out of the Premier League altogether.

Here’s 90min’s season preview of Manchester City’s 2024/25 campaign.

City have won the four biggest competitions open to them on eight occasions across the last five seasons, including a never before seen dominance of the Premier League. It will be tremendously hard to top the 2022/23 treble, but it can technically be done.

None of City’s players from last season have changed shirt numbers for this one. New arrival Savinho has taken 26, while 19 and 21 are now vacant as a result of summer exits. Joao Cancelo has also returned from a Barcelona loan to assume his No.7, although the full-back’s future remains uncertain.

*Numbers subject to change before end of transfer window

In

Out

Home kit

Away kit

Third kit

With 90 goals in 99 appearances since his 2022 arrival, Erling Haaland will score his 100th City goal in the opening weeks of this season. It is a remarkable return and the Norwegian doesn’t look like slowing down. Even when dealing with an injury layoff in 2023/24, he still scored 27 times in the Premier League alone (38 in all competitions), which was not far off a goal per game.

It doesn’t even matter that he’s not hugely clinical. if Haaland is fit, he will get chance after chance after chance, and he will keep scoring at an astonishing rate.

City can also look to Phil Foden, who took his goalscoring to new levels in 2023/24, finding the net 27 times across all competitions. Matching that would be a surefire sign he is genuinely world class.

But Guardiola will need others to step up this season to replace the 19 goals that Julian Alvarez scored. He is expected to turn to youngsters like Oscar Bobb and James McAtee, rather than ask for a direct replacement in the transfer market, while there is an onus on Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku, who got six in the Premier League between them last season, to chip in with more.

City are the team to beat and that won’t change even with several off-field factors hanging over them. This squad just knows how to win in a way that Arsenal don’t quite just yet.

Until someone actually finishes ahead of them, it’s hard to believe anyone will.

Man City 2024/25 Premier League prediction – 1st

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