5 Manchester City players to watch during the pre-season

Manchester City
Manchester City

#3 Philippe Sandler

Philippe Sandler has recovered from a lengthy injury
Philippe Sandler has recovered from a lengthy injury

Philippe Sandler made his debut for Manchester City in 2019 in an FA Cup fixture but is yet to feature in the Premier League for the Cityzens. An injury last season further delayed his inclusion in the first team but the Dutch defender is now back to full fitness and has been training for pre-season fixtures.

The defense is one area where Manchester City do not have any academy players at the moment. Hence, Sandler's good physique and ball-playing skills could make him a great addition to the first team in the 2021-22 campaign.

However, City's backline is filled with expensive, world-class superstars and Sandler will have to impress Guardiola quite a lot to earn a place in the City squad.


#2 Cole Palmer

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League 2
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League 2

One of the players from Manchester City's B team who is looking to emulate Phil Foden's rise to the top this season is Cole Palmer. The attacking midfielder is a Manchester City player through and through. He has been with the club since he was nine years old.

The player has impressed one and all with his attacking skills and versatility in the final third. Like Foden, he likes running with the ball into the box and has a penchant for finding the back of the net.

He scored 13 goals and bagged 7 assists in Premier League 2 last season. He recently signed a five-year contract with the club, a sign that the academy product is going nowhere anytime soon and is part of Guardiola's plans for the future.

City will also want to make sure they keep the young player happy and not let a repeat of the Jadon Sancho situation happen wth any other academy player.


#1 Liam Delap

Liam Delap scored 24 goals in the Premier League 2 last season
Liam Delap scored 24 goals in the Premier League 2 last season

Liam Delap had a great campaign in Premier League 2 last season and was a key part of the Manchester City B team's triumph in the tournament. He scored 24 goals in 20 games and those figures are extraordinary for an 18-year-old.

The son of Stoke City midfielder Rory Delap, Liam will also have a shot at claiming a spot in the first team. Sergio Aguero has left the club, leaving Gabriel Jesus as the only recognized number at the club.

Should young Delap perform well, he might be able to fill in the role of a backup striker. Delap made his senior debut in the Premier League and EFL Cup last season, scoring in the latter just 18 minutes into his debut.

His eye for goal makes him a great prospect and a lot of clubs seem interested in signing him on a season-long loan. His future currently depends on whether Manchester City sign a replacement for Aguero in the coming days. If big signings like Harry Kane, who has been linked with the club recently, arrives before the 2021-22 campaign, Delap just have to leave on loan.

Nonetheless, he is set to feature in almost all of City's pre-season fixtures.


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