Under head coach Pep Guardiola, Manchester City has dominated the Premier League, winning the title five times in the last six years, including in the 2022/23 campaign. The defending champions have made an excellent start to the latest season, as they top the standings after 12 games.
FULL-TIME | An incredible City display!
6-1 #ManCity | @okx pic.twitter.com/UuzGhXq6bB
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 4, 2023
No team in Premier League history has won the Premier League title in four consecutive seasons, but City is on course to do that. Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham will all be hoping to stop them from achieving that, and they too have made pleasing starts to their campaigns.
Guardiola Does Not Allow Complacency to Creep In
After winning the treble last season (Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League), City would have been forgiven for being a little soft at the start of their new campaign. However, they have made a fast start and are now -225 favorites in the Premier League winner odds for the title.
Guardiola is a manager who demands a high level of performance from his players every time they step onto the pitch, regardless of the competition. If any of his players drop below that expected standard, he makes it very clear to them.
Despite the success, Guardiola remains motivated to win more silverware this season. He will want to make history by becoming the first head coach to win four consecutive titles in the league. Although his side has won nine of their opening 12 Premier League games, he will be challenging his side to improve on that strike rate in the second half of the season.
De Bruyne’s Return Will Be a Big Boost
Manchester City has been without the services of one of the best players for most of the season so far, as Kevin De Bruyne was injured in their victory against Burnley on the opening day. The Belgium international, who has won the PFA Player of the Year Award twice, is expected to return to action in early 2024.
The PFA Players’ Player of the Year 2020: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City!
@debruynekev @mancity #mancity #POTY #PFAawards pic.twitter.com/HvrK5KUmor
— Professional Footballers’ Association (@PFA) September 8, 2020
De Bruyne has been an integral part of his side’s success domestically and in Europe since arriving at Manchester City in 2015. His experience and quality will be a big boost for his side in the final months of the campaign.
Rivals Have Upped Their Game Too
With eight wins each from their opening 12 games, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Tottenham are all chasing the defending champions. They have reasons to be optimistic about their chances as there have been a lot of positives for the challengers.
Liverpool won the title in the 2019/20 campaign, and they have been Manchester City’s biggest rivals over the past few years. Jurgen Klopp’s side struggled with injuries last season, but they appear to be back to their best.
North London duo Arsenal and Tottenham will be hoping to end their long wait for a top-flight trophy. The Gunners were runners-up last season, and they are one of only two teams to beat Manchester City so far this season, while Spurs were the last team to lose their unbeaten record in the Premier League campaign.
The 2023/24 Premier League season will end on May 19 in the final round of fixtures.
