MANCHESTER, England: Manchester City will embark on a new era this season in their first in 10 years without talisman Kevin De Bruyne as Pep Guardiola looks to make last term’s third-place finish a distant memory and restore his revamped outfit to their former glory.
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They face a tough task against champions Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea – all big spenders in the transfer window – but the anticipated return of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri and scoring machine Erling Haaland to top form give reason for optimism.
City were tipped last season to win a record-extending fifth consecutive Premier League title, but a mid-season nose-dive saw them fall well off the pace and miss a top-two spot for the first time since 2016-17.
They finished third behind Liverpool and Arsenal with their worst points total under Guardiola, their nine league losses were more than their two previous seasons combined, they crashed out of the Champions League and League Cup early and their FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace meant no silverware for the first time in eight years.
