It’s set to be yet another entertaining and eventful season for Manchester City but just how will things look when May comes around?
Manchester City are officially the most dominant team in the history of English football after they became the first club to ever win the top flight four years in a row last season.
In what could be Pep Guardiola’s last season at City, the Blues will be aiming to maintain their incredible success and add more silverware to their ever-growing collection.
There hasn’t been much change to the side this transfer window, with the signing of Savinho and the departure of Julian Alvarez the only major first-team alterations.
So will City still emerge on top? Can they win the Champions League? Who will impress the most? MCN writers have given their predictions for the 2024/25 season below.
- Key Man City dates for the 2024/25 season: Transfer window, deadline day, Premier League fixture release, start date and more
Where will Man City finish in the Premier League?
Tom Proctor: 1st
“Man City have been there and got the t-shirt many times in recent years and I just about expect City to get the job done again in 2024/25. Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world and has long dominated the competition.
“That said, Arsenal ran City all the way last season and will likely provide a very strong challenge once again. If City do not sign any more players this summer after the sale of Julian Alvarez and the injury to Oscar Bobb, it could be tricky to win the league for a fifth time in a row.”
Srinivas Sadhanand: 1st
“While there is not too much to split Manchester City and Arsenal as teams, what Mikel Arteta’s side lacks in comparison to their title rivals is the level of star power in their side.
“In De Bruyne and Haaland, Guardiola has arguably two of the biggest match-winners in world football.
“If the pair have a rare off day, Phil Foden’s displays during the previous campaign prove that not many players in the Premier League can turn a game on its head quite like him.
“While Arsenal have an incredible player in Bukayo Saka, the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus have a way to go to even be mentioned in the same breath as their City counterparts.”
James Thompson: 1st
“With Guardiola in charge City will always be the favourites to win the Premier League. Even though the gap between City and Arsenal got closer at the end of last season, the Blues showed once again how consistent they can be in terms of getting the right results in the important period of the campaign.”
How will Manchester City perform in the Champions League?
Tom Proctor: Runners-up
“Difficult one to call. City will be fuelled by that defeat to Real Madrid last season and it feels as though the club is set to go deep in the competition. Real are City’s biggest threat though, and the signing of Kylian Mbappe feels very significant.
“The Spanish giants tend to dominate the Champions League and I can see them retaining, especially after signing the French superstar.”
Srinivas Sadhanand: Runners-up
“Only time will tell how the Champions League draw pans out but as things stand, it is difficult to look past Real Madrid as the overwhelming favourites to defend their crown.
“Manchester City could perhaps still be the best team in Europe but with the addition of Kylian Mbappe in a side that already features superstars like Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham, not many teams in recent history seem better-placed for knockout football.
“However, it would be a fool’s errand to write this City side off who dominated the competition during the 2022/2023 season in a way not many teams have in recent memory.”
James Thompson: Semi-final
“It’s hard to predict how this season’s Champions League final journey could pan out without knowing who City will be playing, especially in the crucial knockout stages.
“However, Guardiola has built one of the strongest squads in Europe who are capable of getting to the latter stages of the tournament. However, my prediction for this campaign is that City will fall at the penultimate hurdle and get knocked out in the semi-final.
Who will finish City’s top scorer?
Tom Proctor: Erling Haaland
“It is basically nailed-on that Erling Haaland will finish 2024/25 as City’s top goalscorer.
“The Norwegian has hit a staggering 63 Premier League goals in his two seasons at the club so far, and 90 goals in 99 appearances in total. With an array of incredible technicians and creators behind him, the man is inevitable.”
Srinivas Sadhanand: Erling Haaland
“After scoring 63 Premier League goals in his two seasons at Manchester City, the question should be which player will finish behind Haaland in the Golden Boot race at this point.
“With a fully-fit Kevin De Bruyne starting the season as well, as long as Haaland can stay fit, the Norwegian will do what he does best: score goals galore.”
James Thompson: Erling Haaland
“Only a serious injury would stop Haaland from ending his third Premier League campaign at City as their top scorer.
“The ridiculous amount of goals he’s scored and records he’s broken make it almost futile for any other top-flight striker to try and get near the number of goals Haaland has the ability to score in an injury-free campaign.”
Who will be Man City’s ‘breakout’ player?
Tom Proctor: James McAtee
“I would have said Oscar Bobb, but the starlet is now set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a reported leg fracture in training. What has happened to him is a huge shame, and when he returns he may find it tricky to enjoy the breakout he likely would have done had this never happened.
“I think James McAtee might be someone who’ll kick on in 2024/25 after finally being promoted to the first-team. The star can play as an attacking midfielder and out wide, and that exciting technical ability will surely serve him well in this team.
“He looked great in pre-season, and might get some decent opportunities with Julian Alvarez having been sold and Kevin De Bruyne potentially needing to be rotated more this season.”
Srinivas Sadhanand: Oscar Bobb
“While Oscar Bobb has suffered an ill-fated fractured leg that will keep him out of action for several months, once he does return to action, he will get minutes on the right flank once again.
“Bobb is an exceptional talent and a player who could arguably already be City’s best winger.
“The alternative answer would be to name James McAtee but one questions whether he will get enough game time to have a breakout season.”
James Thompson: Savinho
“A lot of focus ahead of the season was on Oscar Bobb due to him having a standout pre-season period. However, his injury has led to him being set for a spell on the sidelines.
“Therefore, new signing Savinho could have the opportunity to make his mark on the team this season. His goals, assists and other attacking statistics from his loan spell at Girona last season show that the Brazilian certainly has what it takes to be a breakout star for City.
Which player are you most excited to watch?
Tom Proctor: Jeremy Doku
“I’m going with Jeremy Doku. The exhilarating Belgian is such a livewire, and last term it was so refreshing to watch him and his unpredictability. He did really well in his first term and I can’t wait to see how he’ll do now that he’s got a year’s worth of Premier League experience under his belt.
“There is no reason why he can’t kick on, be even better and make himself a regular starter in 2024/25 now that he has a better understanding of the league and how City play. Honourable mention to new signing Savinho.”
Srinivas Sadhanand: Kevin De Bruyne
“After Kevin De Bruyne’s return to full fitness last season, there were two major takeaways.
“The first lesson was that the Belgian still remains one of the best creators in the world — registering only one less assist (10) behind the Premier League’s assist leader in Ollie Watkins (11) and 18 across all competitions.
“But secondly, De Bruyne seemed to have lost a yard of pace — a factor that has always been key to the midfield maestro’s game due to his ability to burst past players and destroy the composition of an opposition’s midfield on the break.
“Not many players have been as devastating as the six-time Premier League winner on the counter-attack in the past decade.
“How De Bruyne copes with his declining physicality and whether he establishes his claim as the best player in the Premier League once again are intriguing questions ahead of the 2024/2025 season.
“The 33-year-old’s showings at Euro 2024 displayed enough signs that he still remains elite and after an extended break during the summer, it will be enthralling to tune into a refreshed and fully fit De Bruyne.”
James Thompson – Jack Grealish
“Arguably the one player who has the most to prove in the City squad this season. If Jack Grealish can avoid injury issues and get his confidence back on the pitch, he undoubtedly has what it takes to be a crucial player for the Blues once again.”
