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Pep Guardiola's team created history by becoming the first men's team to win a domestic treble in English Football. Their run in the Premier League was perhaps the most fascinating, as Liverpool pushed them until the last day for the crown.
Despite defending his league title, Guardiola was not satisfied, because the UEFA Champions League eluded him once again. The Spaniard has not won the coveted trophy since 2011 and last season too, even for all the brilliance in his team, they were undone by a spirited Tottenham side in the Quarterfinals.
Manchester City, as such, was expected to invest heavily in the squad once again this summer, however, the Champions have made just a couple of smart additions to the team. Most notable have been the arrivals of Rodri from Atletico Madrid and Joao Cancelo from Juventus.
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City have been impressive in pre-season and have already won the Community Shield after defeating Liverpool on penalties. Guardiola will have an image of his team-building in his mind and today, we take a look at Manchester City's most probable starting XI for the 2019/20 season.
Goalkeeper - Ederson
The goalkeeping department is secured at Manchester City, with Ederson narrowly missing out on the Premier League Golden Glove last season. The Brazilian is key to Pep Guardiola's style of play at City and is very comfortable with the ball at his feet. He likes to initiate attacks from the back and quite often last season, his long balls caught the opposition off guard.
Ederson found a place in the PFA Team of the year last season and should be looking forward to another stellar year between the sticks.
Left Back - Oleksandr Zinchenko
Benjamin Mendy's injury-prone time at the Etihad would have caused Pep Guardiola a lot of concerns, however, the emergence of Oleksandr Zinchenko last season has eased the Spaniard's worries. The Ukrainian will be expected to take the majority of the responsibilities once again this season, as Mendy recovers from his knee injury.
Zinchenko, even though primarily a midfielder, has looked the right fit for the left-back job last season. Pep Guardiola also has the option of utilizing young Spanish left-back Angelino, who is back with the club this summer.
Right Back - Joao Cancelo
The arrival of Joao Cancelo from Juventus on deadline day means that Kyle Walker has some serious competition for the right-back position. The Englishman does have that odd mistake on him, a reason why Pep Guardiola was desperate to bring the Portuguese to the Etihad. Cancelo is better suited to the Spaniard's tactics compared to Walker, which means that he will ultimately become the first choice for the right-back role.
Centre Back - John Stones
Vincent Kompany's departure might have left a gap in the City defence, but in truth, the Belgian was not expected to be a regular starter in the upcoming season. John Stones, the man supposed to carry forward Kompany's legacy at City was pegged with injuries last season but will be looking forward to a fresh start this year.
The Englishman is still one of the brightest talents in the world of football and should take advantage of his former skipper's absence this season. However, should he falter again, Pep does have the luxury of calling upon Nicolas Otamendi.
Centre Back - Aymeric Laporte
There's no doubt that the Frenchman is one of the best defenders in the world right now. Aymeric Laporte was massive at the heart of the City defence last season and his presence enabled Guardiola to deal with the injury crisis at the back. The Frenchman has all the qualities to ensure that City do not miss Vincent Kompany any more.
Laporte is quite comfortable with the ball at his feet and is also an established tackler. He is a very good reader of the game, which helps him break down opposition attacks and initiate counter attacks with equal ease. Pep Guardiola will have big expectations from the player this season.
Defensive Midfielder - Rodri
The defensive midfield position is a vital cog in Guardiola's tactics at City because the Spaniard relies on a pass master who can also do the cleanup job in the middle. Fernandinho was tailor-made for the role and Guardiola knew that replacing the Brazilian could cost an arm and a leg. And as expected, City had to pay an exorbitant transfer fee to get Rodri from Atletico Madrid this summer. However, it looks like money well invested.
The Spanish midfielder has already shown in preseason that he will embrace Guardiola's tactics like a duck takes to water. Rodri appears to have all the qualities of Fernandinho, so one can hope he will have a similar impact in Guardiola's team this season.
Central Midfielder - David Silva
Pep Guardiola has confirmed that David Silva will be his new Captain this season. The Spaniard has already announced that he will leave the club at the end of this season, so this season will be his City swansong. Under Pep Guardiola's direction, Silva has added an impressive steel to his game, which, along with his silky moves, has helped his manager field two number 10s in the midfield.
The Spaniard is exceptional on the ball and will be pulling the strings for one last time in Guardiola's team this season. As such, one can expect sparks to fly again.
Central Midfielder - Kevin de Bruyne
Kevin de Bruyne was arguably the best player in the league in Pep Guardiola's maiden Premier League title-winning campaign. His vision, his passing range and his eye for the goal made him an indispensable part of the City team. Yet, tragedy struck last season, where recurring injuries showed him that no player is irreplaceable under Guardiola.
This season, the Belgian will be out to prove a point and reclaim his status in the team. He is still the best in his position for City, so provided he stays fit, de Bruyne should see a lot of game time from the midfield.
Left Forward - Raheem Sterling
The reigning Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year, as well as the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year, will have a bigger part to play this season, owing to Leroy Sane's injury.
Raheem Sterling is extremely versatile on the field, which means that he can play in any of the front three positions with equal ease. However, the Englishman has been most effective from the left and he is expected to continue his brilliant form in the new season too.
While Sterling's speed and trickery is always a handful for defenders, the Englishman can also pick a pass and set his teammates up. He was also brilliant in front of goal last season, so once again, a lot will be expected of him this year.
Centre Forward - Sergio Aguero
The Argentinean's summer has hardly gone according to plan after Argentina finished third in the Copa America. However, there's no doubt that Sergio Aguero is the man to lead the City attack once again this season, even though Pep Guardiola does have the option of Gabriel Jesus.
The Argentinean is City's record goalscorer in the league and narrowly missed out on the Premier League Golden Boot last season. Aguero will be desperate to hit the ground running this year and his form could define City's fortunes this season.
Right Forward - Bernardo Silva
Bernardo Silva was a revelation last season. From ensuring that City did not miss the talismanic Kevin de Bruyne to becoming the heartbeat of the team, the Portuguese had a memorable journey in 2018/19. After winning the domestic treble, Silva also won the UEFA Nations Cup with Portugal, where he was adjudged the Player of the Tournament.
The Portuguese is equally adept at playing in the midfield or the front three, but it is in a free role in attack that Bernardo Silva does the most damage. Despite being cruelly snubbed in the 10-man FIFA's Best Men's Player of the Year Award, the Spaniard continues to be among the contenders for the 2019 Ballon d'Or. Bernardo Silva will once again be one of Guardiola's key component this season.
