Happy Premier League kickoff weekend everybody! Manchester City, who last season became the first English team to win three domestic trophies in a single campaign, begin their title defense with a road clash at West Ham United.
City are looking to three-peat, and if they accomplish this, they will become just the fifth club in English history to win three straight top flight league titles. Let’s go through the FYIs and preview the opener.
Manchester City Team News:
The club began Friday by announcing an extension of the contract of Ilkay Gundogan. The new deal will keep the midfielder acquired from Borussia Dortmund at the club until 2023. David Silva was announced as team captain for the upcoming season today, taking over for the depart Vincent Kompany.
Fitness wise, Leroy Sane, who has strongly linked with a move away from the club this summer, suffered an ACL tear last weekend. He’s out indefinitely, with manager Pep Guardiola saying today that he’s hoping for maybe a February or March return.
For West Ham, Lukasz Fabianski should be good to go, having overcome a groin issue and midfielder Jack Wilshere will be in contention as well, but Mark Noble is out of commission due to a dead leg.
The Hammers were really busy in the transfer market this summer, breaking the club transfer fee record to Sebastien Haller from Crystal Palace. Whilst Manuel Pellegrini’s team should easily get a mid-table place this season, it would be too much of a stretch to see them gaining a Europa League spot when all is said and done.
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction
Raheem Sterling Sergio Aguero Bernardo Silva
Kevin De Bruyne Rodri David Silva
Joao Cancelo John Stones Nicolas Otamendi Oleksandr Zinchenko
Ederson
Pep Guardiola Friday News Conference Video:
“Never when I start the season do I have to win one title, or two, or four or five – I think that is ridiculous,” Guardiola said on the topic of this season’s expectations and ambitions.
“The key point from our point of view is always to play better, individually and collectively. What we did last season will not be enough. We have to do a little bit more. That is the target.”
Kickoff: Saturday, August 10, 12:30 pm, London Stadium
Google Result Probability: Manchester City win 76%, Draw 15%, West Ham United win 9%
Score prediction: Manchester City 2, West Ham United 0
Summer Transfer Window Analysis/Season Previews
Arsenal Tottenham City United Liverpool Chelsea
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
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