Premier League: Pep Guardiola's Manchester City must overcome weight of expectations to continue domestic dominance

“Some of you play better when you are angry with me, so if you hate me, hate me, guys,” the otherwise eloquent Pep Guardiola’s frank, no-nonsense words stand out in Manchester City’s Amazon documentary about their extraordinary season when they broke records after records in the English Premier League. As one stands at the cusp of a new season, the Russia World Cup and its eccentricities still looming large over the ordinary football fan’s mind, you cannot help but wonder where do Manchester City go from here.

In a summer dominated by the World Cup, as transfer dramas took the backseat, Manchester City has had a relatively quiet few weeks in the lead-up to the new season. Riyad Mahrez’s arrival sparked the debate about City’s depth and quality on the reserve bench, but their failed pursuit of Jorginho as the former-Napoli midfielder chose to follow Maurizio Sarri to London was more of an advantage to their opponents rather than being a disadvantage to City. After all, Manchester City have at their disposal one of the most carefully assembled set of players – cherry picked by Guardiola.

When the Spaniard arrived in England, questions were raised about his adaptability to the ruthless nature of the Premier League and his first season on the English shore surely came with a number of missteps, but if last season was any indication, Guardiola has managed to craft together a team committed to his belief of football – one which can effortlessly weave its magic irrespective of opposition.

As was the case during his tenures at Barcelona and Bayern Munich, Guardiola’s teams continue to evolve as time progresses, perfecting the intricacies of the tactical system and shining through amidst the collective accomplishments. Combine that with the tenacity with which the Manchester City hierarchy approach a transfer window and all ingredients for another winning recipe is already on the deck. If Leroy Sane’s raw talent and Raheem Sterling’s underrated footballing vision were enough for Guardiola to provide the final product off Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva’s systemic brilliance last season, Mahrez’s explosive pace and precision will add another dimension to City’s attack this season. If there were any doubts regarding the lack of depth in City’s central defensive position especially due to Vincent Kompany’s injury-prone nature, the full scale of Aymeric Laporte’s virtuosity will be on display this season.

That City have arguably one of the most well-balanced squads in Europe is a well-documented fact and Guardiola’s tutelage have aided in converting City’s elite players into perfectionists at their respective roles – an amalgamation of diligence and finesse bringing forth the best of their skillsets.

Even more intriguing for regular observers of the club are the young prospects in the Manchester City squad which burst onto scene last season, most notably Phil Foden. The young English midfield maverick has been one of City’s best performers in the pre-season and it remains to be seen how Guardiola integrates one of English football’s brightest young talent into his already grandiose scheme of things.

Tactically, there are only a few teams in England which are at par with Manchester City’s flamboyant style and can outshine them on a given day, and Guardiola’s men are perfectly capable of being the first club since 2009 to retain the Premiership title. Retaining the title or outsmarting the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United will not be Guardiola’s biggest challenge though.

Manchester City already set the bar pretty high last season and the onus falls upon the Citizens to overcome the exceeding weight of expectations from their fans and neutrals, especially in Europe. Ever since Guardiola’s UEFA Champions League triumph with Barcelona, the Spaniard has failed to dominate in Europe — this season provides the former Bayern Munich manager the perfect platform to cement Manchester City’s status as an elite club, especially with the shifting dynamics of the European footballing landscape.

A hundred Premier League points, securing the league title with five games remaining, City were a class apart from the other titular contenders but they had their own share of misfortunes – from failing to find an answer to Liverpool’s fervent pressing to being a tad underwhelming in the cup competitions, Guardiola knows his City squad can achieve another gear in their pursuit for glory and the Spaniard will hope his team picks up right from where they left off last season.