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Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have undoubtedly been the most potent Premier League team in recent times. Since the takeover by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, Manchester City have won the most domestic titles in England (5). The only major trophy that eludes Cityzens is the UEFA Champions League.
The blue half of Manchester was quite successful under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini. However, Guardiola took them to a whole new level. Manchester City are well on course to win an unprecedented fourth league title over the last five seasons.
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City have been exceptionally dominant
Despite facing enormous competition from Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, the former Barcelona manager has held his own as far as domestic trophies are concerned.
Most of the all-time Manchester City greats like Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and David Silva barely played during the Spanish manager's reign. Hence, it's hard to list down the best players during his tenure.
Another reason this is an arduous task is because of Guardiola's rotation system. Manchester City's second-string team are almost as good as their main team. One can never predict what team the Spaniard puts out in a given match.
With that being said, here are the top five Manchester City players of the Guardiola era:
#5 Ilkay Gundogan
Ilkay Gundogan hasn't always been a Manchester City regular. The German midfielder is the Spanish manager's third most used player. However, that number could have easily proliferated if Gundogan had been used more.
The former Borussia Dortmund man enjoyed a fruitful 2020-21 campaign. He scored 13 goals and provided three assists in the Premier League a season when Manchester City didn't have a recognized striker. The 31-year-old was their top scorer last season.
Gundogan is a unique player at Etihad Stadium. Neither is he a defensive midfielder like Rodri nor is he an attack-minded midfielder like Kevin de Bruyne or Bernardo Silva. He drifts in the middle of the park, providing control and attacking play to Cityzens.
Overall, he has scored 44 goals and recorded 31 assists in 233 appearances under the Spaniard.
#4 Ederson Moraes
Ederson Moraes (and previously Claudio Bravo) was acquired by the Spanish manager as the Spanish manager wanted a goalkeeper that was good on his feet. While earlier it felt harsh on Joe Hart, it makes total sense now that Ederson has performed brilliantly.
The Brazilian is not only an efficient passer but is also a supreme shot-stopper. The 28-year-old has won the Golden Glove award for two seasons running and is the favorite to win it for a third consecutive time. He has kept most Premier League clean sheets (47) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign.
The former Benfica man's on-the-ball ability is as good as some professional outfield players. His sweeper-keeper capabilities are crucial in the way Manchester City are set up. Despite being a goalkeeper, he has provided three assists in 219 Manchester City appearances.
#3 Sergio Aguero
Pep Guardiola has tried replacing Sergio Aguero quite a few times. The Argentine striker’s last few months in Manchester were far from ideal due to injury issues. However, it is important to note that Aguero is the top scorer for Manchester City under the Spaniard.
The recently retired footballer is the only number 9 who made an impact under the Spanish manager in the Premier League. The five-time Premier League winner is among the best Manchester City players of all time. He has scored 260 goals for Cityzens, including 124 during the Guardiola era.
Unlike the other players on the list, Aguero has played less than 200 games for the former Barcelona manager. However, he still managed to outscore all Manchester City players during the period. His goal-to-game ratio of 0.68 is unparalleled over the last six seasons.
#2 Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling may not be having the best of times in his club career, but the former Liverpool man has been sensational over the years. Sterling is not only the most used Manchester City player by Guardiola but the most used overall.
The winger has appeared 272 times for the manager in all competition, contributing 112 goals and 79 assists. Only Aguero has scored more, and only De Bruyne has provided more assists than the Englishman.
Despite not being a first-choice winger this season, Sterling has been impressive whenever given an opportunity. The 27-year-old forward was particularly brilliant last month. He scored five goals and supplied one assist to win the Premier League's December Player of the Month.
#1 Kevin de Bruyne
Kevin de Bruyne has clearly been the most important player for Manchester City over the last five seasons. The Belgian playmaker has provided 97 assists in 245 Manchester City outings. During that period, the midfielder has also netted 58 times.
A perennial feature in Team of the Season and Team of the Year, De Bruyne is arguably the most consistent midfielder of his generation. Along with Trent-Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and Bruno Fernandes, de Bruyne has been one of the leading assist providers over the last few seasons.
Although Manchester City have functioned at a high level in the absence of their number 17, he is still their most pivotal player. Guardiola’s team changes gears more efficiently when their talismanic midfielder is pulling strings in the middle of the park.
