Manchester City's ideal starting XI for 2018/19 season

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: A dream partnership

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.

Kyle Walker: At the World Cup he played as a right centre-back

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.

Is it time for Mendy to retain his position at the left back?

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.