Jermaine Pennant has now made a claim about Manchester City winning the Premier League title this season.
The 40-year-old made the comments when speaking to Daily Mail Sport.
So, what did Jermaine Pennant say about Manchester City? Let’s take a look…
What’s the story?
Well, the man from Nottingham said it is “hard to see” any club other than Manchester City winning the Premier League this season, but conceded that the title race will certainly be closer than last term.
Pennant said: “It’s hard to see anybody winning it apart from Manchester City. Once they’re fully strengthened with De Bruyne and Rodri, we know how much of a juggernaut they are. It’s going to be a lot closer. I think more teams are picking away at Manchester City this season.”
It certainly looks set to be a closer title race this season based on the first eight games.
Manchester City currently sit third in the Premier League behind Arsenal and Tottenham following successive defeats to Wolves and then the Gunners last time out.
Pep Guardiola – therefore – needs to claw back two points on the north Londoners, although the Spaniard will surely feel relaxed after overturning an eight point gap on Arsenal last season.
Manchester City need last season’s leaders to step up
Everyone will judge Manchester City this term based on the treble from last season.
However, Manchester City are a different side to that team nowadays – albeit only slightly.
Guardiola has lost a huge influence in Ilkay Gundogan, while Riyad Mahrez and Aymeric Laporte were also important players who have now departed.
They have been replaced by young talents in Jeremy Doku and Josko Gvardiol, while Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes also arrived from Chelsea and Wolves respectively, two sides who have no experience of challenging for a Premier League title in recent years.
Therefore, Guardiola needs those who have been there and done it – such as Rodri and John Stones – to step up and show Manchester City’s new recruits how to handle the pressure of a title race.
