2016-17 fan predictions: Manchester City

What are your feelings ahead of the new season?

I’m cautiously optimistic that Pep Guardiola can deliver a league title in his first season in English football and I’ll be delighted with that if he does. I don’t think it’s all going to be plain sailing, though, and we may have to endure a transitional period while the Catalan is still settling into his new surroundings and getting his ideas across to his new players, but hopefully it won’t be too detrimental to our overall season. I’m looking forward to watching exciting, attractive football from City but also football that’s built on a foundation of hard work and determination because I don’t think we saw quite enough of that during the last couple of seasons. I think this could be the most competitive English league we’ve seen in decades and I’m getting nervous just thinking about it!

Are you satisfied with your club’s transfer business this summer?

I’d say satisfied is the right word for how I feel about our summer so far. I think Ilkay Gundogan is a fantastic acquisition, Nolito is a shrewd buy and John Stones – though eye-wateringly expensive – is exactly the sort of ball-playing centre-back we need. The other players we’ve signed are young and full of potential but I doubt we’ll be seeing the best of them for a year or two at least and I don’t think any of our new boys have really set pulses racing the way the likes of Sergio Aguero and Yaya Toure’s signings did in the past. It’s been a good window, don’t get me wrong, but perhaps not a great one.

How is your team likely to line up?

Good question. When everyone’s fit and available, I’d expect us to line-up in a 4-3-3 along the lines of: Hart, Sagna, Kompany, Stones, Clichy, Fernandinho, Gundogan, Toure, De Bruyne, Sane, Aguero.

Have you got the right man in charge?

Absolutely. I think Pep Guardiola is the finest coach in the world, to be honest with you, and hiring him is undoubtedly the best bit of recruitment Manchester City have ever done. Coming to England and managing City will be a challenge unlike any he’s faced before but all this stuff about him only ever achieving success when it was ready made for him is total codswallop. Barcelona were struggling (by their standards) when he took the job there and he turned them into arguably the best team the world’s ever seen, whereas he introduced a new way of thinking to Bayern Munich and left his indelible mark on German football. He’s obsessed with the game and his meticulous attention to detail will make his City side a tough nut to crack at the very least. I’m being careful not to expect too much too soon from him, but I firmly believe that over the long-term, he’s the man to take City to the next level both domestically and in Europe.

What do you expect from Liverpool this season?

There were times last season (such as the two Premier League games against City) when Liverpool looked frighteningly good and if you can do that on a more consistent basis this season, I see no reason why you can’t finish in the top four or even challenge for the title. Jürgen Klopp is a fantastic manager who seems to have instilled a great spirit on and off the Anfield pitch and after his bedding-in season last year, I expect him to really ramp things up a notch this time around. That said, I don’t see a great deal of world-class talent in your playing squad at the moment and I’m surprised you haven’t splashed out on at least one marquee signing at the time of writing. That could ultimately be what holds you back this season, but you never know. We seldom get anything from our trips to Anfield and I stopped hoping for different a long time ago so there’s at least three points you can pretty much rely upon!

If you could have one Liverpool player in your team, who would it be?

Philippe Coutinho is a marvellous little player who always seems to score against City, so I’ll say him.

Top four (in order)?

Manchester City
Manchester United
Chelsea
Tottenham

Relegated?

Sunderland, Hull and Watford

Who will be the surprise package?

I’ve got a feeling Burnley are in for a solid season of survival at least.