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Last season, Manchester City blew the competition away. They finished the season with a record points haul (100) and a record goals total (106). They had a 22-game unbeaten run. This run includes a record-breaking total of 18 consecutive wins between August and December. Without a doubt, this was one of the most impressive title-winning campaigns in the history of this competition.
They also won the Carabao Cup. In the final match against Arsenal, they won 3-0. Also, they won the Community Shield trophy by winning against Chelsea. This season will be a massive challenge for them. They have all the tools: the best manager in the world and a squad with extreme depth with plenty of game changers.
Surely, they are big favourites to win the Premier League title once again. Their biggest rival will probably be Liverpool because they made some excellent signings this summer. Also, they will be gunning for the Champions League.
The picture above shows Manchester City's ideal starting lineup for the upcoming season. Let's take a look at why these players are the best choice for their positions.
Goalkeeper
Guardiola always wants a sweeper goalkeeper to apply his possession-based system. Last summer Manchester City completed Ederson's move from Benfica. The Brazilian has improved drastically under the guidance of Guardiola.
Ederson is essential for Guardiola's system because of his ability to be excellent with the ball. Ederson takes a lot of risk with the ball but that is exactly the way Guardiola wants him to play. He is very good at playing short passes between opposition players.
On the other side, his long-range passes are also impressive. He completes up to 50 passes per game which is enormous for a goalkeeper. Claudio Bravo was immense in the preseason games, but Ederson is a much better option. He makes a huge difference for Guardiola's side.
Defenders
Manchester City's back 4 should ideally be: Right-back: Kyle Walker, Centre-backs: John Stones and Aymeric Laporte, Left-back: Benjamin Mendy.
John Stones and Aymeric Laporte are Guardiola's first choices for centre-back positions. In the Community Shield match against Chelsea, they were superb. Their partnership looks very promising. It is going to be very hard for Otamendi and Kompany to break that partnership.
Stones and Laporte are very comfortable on the ball and that makes them perfect for Guardiola's system. Together, they can cover the whole pitch with their combined range of passing.
At the World Cup in Russia, England played with three centre-backs. Kyle Walker played as the right centre-back and he played every game. However, Guardiola will probably use Walker on the right side of his defence.
Last season, Walker was a huge part of Manchester City's success. He played 32 matches in Premier League and he provided 6 assists. Walker's game has developed tremendously under Pep Guardiola and it's hard to imagine someone else on the right side of Guardiola's defence.
Left back position should be reserved for Benjamin Mendy. Mendy came to Manchester City from Monaco last summer in a deal worth £52m. He started his career at City very well. However, on 23 September, Mendy sustained an injury which sidelined him from the pitch for 7 months.
He came back on the pitch in April in the Premier League match against Swansea. At the World Cup in Russia, he played only 40 minutes. Against Chelsea, Mendy played a very good match. He made countless runs on the left side and he was very good defensively also. He is now at full strength and all eyes will be on him this season. His runs could cause so many problems for opposite teams this year.
Midfielders
City's nominal 4-3-3 formation sees Fernandinho, Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva lineup in the midfield three.
This season Fernandinho's main role will be to play as a pivot. Fernandinho sits deep to provide cover for the defensive line. His ability to recover and distribute the ball is essential to City's possession-based philosophy. This position is crucial and Fernandinho's work is invaluable.
Fernandinho is 33 years old and that's why Guardiola looks for his replacement in the future. Fernandinho is now one of the most experienced players in this squad and will be a leader in their pursuit of a fourth Premier League title. His partners in the midfield should be Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva.
Most of the time this season, Kevin de Bruyne will play as the right midfielder and David Silva as the left midfielder. Guardiola wants them to be positioned in the half-spaces to be able to link up with wingers and the middle half of the pitch also. Both of them are expected to cover a lot of ground.
Kevin de Bruyne was the best player in Premier League last season along with Mohamed Salah. He scored 8 goals and most importantly he provided 16 assists. He can often be found drifting into the wide channels to take a pass from his fullback.
Last season, David Silva had some family problems. Despite that, he still managed to score 9 goals and provide 11 assists in 28 matches in Premier League. This is going to be Silva's ninth season at Etihad. Surely, he is one of the best players in their history. Also, one of the greatest foreign players in Premier in Premier League history.
While Kevin de Bruyne has his role cemented, David Silva may see his contribution reduced because of his age. Bernardo Silva can also play in his position.
Forwards
Manchester City's attack should experience some changes this season. Last season, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling were playing on the wing positions. However, Sterling was in a very bad form during the World Cup in Russia. The Citizen have signed Riyad Mahrez from Leicester City.
Mahrez played in all preseason matches and also in the Community Shield match against Chelsea. Mahrez will surely start this season on the right wing and I expect him to stay as the first choice for that position. Riyad Mahrez is the only player in Premier League to provide double figures for goals and assists in two of the last three seasons.
Despite his brilliant form in last season, Leroy Sane has not travelled to Russia for the World Cup. Last season, Sane scored 10 goals and also provided 15 assists in 32 matches in Premier League. He was named as the PFA Young Player of the Year. In Pep's system, Sane always stays wide on the left side to play in isolation. He is one the fastest players in the league and that makes him deadly in 1vs1 situations. After missing the World Cup, we can expect Sane to be even more hungry than last season.
And finally, we are coming to the centre-forward position. It's a very heavy decision to make. Gabriel Jesus or Sergio Aguero? Despite Jesus' magnificent movement, Sergio Aguero is a better finisher and because of that, he should be the starter. In the match against Chelsea, he scored two goals and he became the first ever player to score more than 200 goals for Manchester City. With Guardiola as City's manager, Aguero participates to all phases of the game whether it is pressing, build-up play, etc.
