With 15 straight wins, few people are doubting the fact that Manchester are on course to pick up plenty of silverware this season. What’s remarkable is that the team have managed to do this without some of their key big-name players.
Manchester City have been a formidable force in English football for quite a few years now. Much of the club’s reputation has been built on star players like David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne. But with Silva leaving the club and Aguero and De Bruyne suffering from injury, it’s given plenty of opportunity for other City players to shine.
Pep Guardiola’s team is currently at the top of the Premier League table with a game in hand. Plus they eased past Swansea City in the FA Cup, and will be playing Borussia Monchengladbach in the Champions League before taking on Tottenham Hotspur in the League Cup final. Anybody looking for betting tips or a list of best sport betting sites for the upcoming match will know some relatively new faces will make a big impression in the predictions.
In particular, it’s Phil Foden who’s been one of the most impressive newcomers at the Etihad. It’s easy to forget that Foden is just 20 years old, but he’s already become an integral part of the Manchester City attack.
With five important goals and three valuable assists in the Premier League this season, Foden has given City a great blend of creativity and strength up front. All of which should gradually wipe away the shameful incident in Iceland that led the youngster to getting a four-match ban from the England team.
While Foden represents a great young talent for City, it’s the rise of Ilkay Gundogan to become a key goalscorer that’s particularly impressive. The 30-year has somehow clocked up 11 goals in the current campaign and he’s made a clear case for permanent inclusion in the City starting line-up.
It’s been fascinating to see how Gundogan has become a real game-changer for the new-look City. While the German star wasn’t renowned for either his goals or assists, the midfielder is on course for helping City get another Premier League title.
Further back, Ruben Dias has been pivotal in shoring up the City defence. For a long time it looked like the team were struggling to fill the void caused by the absence of Vincent Kompany. But ever since Ruben Dias arrived at the Etihad, he’s gradually become an essential part of the City back-four.
Not only has Dias had a massive hand in rejuvenating the City defensive line, but his arrival has helped John Stones recover his long-lost form. With a remarkable figure of just 14 goals conceded in 22 Premier League games, Pep Guardiola’s team are now easily the hardest team to score against in the league.
In fact everywhere from the defensive excellence of Joao Cancelo to the robust midfield talent of Rodri, it seems that the Manchester City recruitment has worked wonderfully in recent years. Despite this, it’s clear that big changes may be required up front to help City stay competitive.
This is because it’s looking almost certain that Sergio Aguero will be leaving the Etihad at the end of the season. While the Argentine star has been injured for much of the 2020/21 season, it’s hard to overstate the importance that he’s played.
As such, there have been growing calls to bring in an out-and-out striker. While there’s no denying the quality of Gabriel Jesus, the Brazilian has yet to show the consistency of Aguero. Plus newcomer Ferran Torres looks promising, but has yet to have made a big impact at the Etihad. Both Raheem Sterling and Riyad Mahrez are capable of exceptional moments of attacking creativity, but they aren’t the kind of poacher that City need in the opponent’s penalty box.
This has meant that Manchester City are widely expected to make a big signing of a striker this summer. There’s no shortage of speculation about which forwards are on the shopping list. From hotly tipped youngsters like Erling Haaland to living legends like Lionel Messi, it’s almost certain that Pep Guardiola will have a big-name centre forward for next season. All of which could make Manchester City almost unstoppable.