Midfield

Is this finally the year that Bernardo Silva leaves? The tireless midfielder has been open for a new challenge for four seasons now yet he has been so valuable that nobody has been able to come up with an acceptable offer. Paris Saint-Germain came in last summer and are the club expected to have the most serious interest again, with reports of a £50m release clause in the contract signed by Silva last year that would surely be within their grasp - particularly with Kylian Mbappe now off the wage bill.

Kevin De Bruyne is being eyed as a marquee signing for the Saudi Pro League, although the Belgian has shown his enduring value to City with 10 Premier League assists this season despite missing the first half of the season with injury. City cannot expect the 32-year-old to go on forever, but he has shown that he still has the engine and motivation to compete at the highest level.

Matheus Nunes endured a difficult first season at the Etihad, although Guardiola was happy enough with the potential and application shown by the former Wolves man and he will surely get another chance to develop. The same can't be said for Kalvin Phillips after two years of going backwards, although recouping anything close to the £45m fee will be difficult; Leeds getting promotion would present as romantic a return as the West Yorkshire town can be considered romantic.

With such doubts over the midfield - and potentially an extra body needed to give Rodri more protection - there remains strong interest in West Ham's Lucas Paqueta, who may well have been signed instead of Nunes last season if there hadn't been the betting investigation into him. That would set City back around £75m, and it would likely require more than that to tempt Newcastle to sell Bruno Guimaraes - another who has been linked.

Claudio Echeverri has already been bought for an initial £12.5m from River Plate, although he is understood to be staying there for the rest of the calendar year. It will be interesting to see if he comes to Manchester in the January window or moves elsewhere, probably within the City Football Group.

Forwards

Savio is the early news, with the on-loan Girona forward expected to complete a move from Troyes to City once the CFG phonelines can get a conference call going. Another direct winger who loves to take defenders on, it offers up the possibility of City's attack taking on a different outlook next season.

Despite that, and despite a difficult year that he has admitted to, there is very little serious suggestion that Jack Grealish could be moved on. The former Villa man has shown again how he improves the XI when he plays even if those matches have been too few recently.

Oscar Bobb is expected to stay around the squad, and there is a decision to be made on the returning James McAtee after a year at Sheffield United that didn't go as well as the previous one. He will have plenty of interest and would generate a good fee, although may want to try and force his way in at the Etihad.

Scott Carson has extended his stay at Manchester City until the summer of 2025 as he pens a further one-year contract extension to his existing agreement.

Manchester City summer transfer target Lucas Paqueta has been charged by the Football Association.

Ortega Moreno, Walker ©, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodrigo, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Foden, Haaland.

Substitutes: Carson, Dias, Grealish, Doku, Alvarez, Akanji, Nunes, Bobb, Lewis.

Player Ratings

Stefan Ortega – 5
Somewhat of a blunder during the first goal, albeit through miscommunication, and struggled with the second. Made careless passes in the first-half, but made a couple of good saves later on in the contest.

Kyle Walker – 6
Wrong passes almost cost an early goal, but he gained composure eventually. Poor awareness and tracking back for United’s second goal. Two good long-range strikes from the captain in the second half to overshadow a largely underwhelming performance.

John Stones – 5
Struggled in defence during the first half after not starting for so long, but should’ve still been better with holding the defensive line.

Nathan Ake – 6
Avoided a few mishaps but was ultimately caught by the opponents’ attack, and lacked the stability in the back.

Josko Gvardiol – 5
Too oblivious to the goalkeeper’s position for the first goal, reserved himself for defensive duties after the mistake.

Rodri – 6
Did not control the game as he usually does and gave away the ball cheaply at times.

Mateo Kovacic – 5.5
Did not help bring stability in the midfield. Often got pulled by defensive duties that left plenty of space up front, and almost gifted a goal.

Kevin De Bruyne – 5
Largely quiet in the first half, with negligible impact aside from a couple of signature close-range shots taken poorly.

Bernardo Silva – 5
The semi-final hero looked far from his best, uncharacteristic bad passes and shots added to the misery.

Phil Foden – 5
Could not get into the right rhythm despite attempts to drive the attacks forward, and lacked his usual creativity.

Erling Haaland – 5
Limited attempts saw him make something out of the attacks upfront, but the team struggled to find him up high.


Substitutes

Manuel Akanji – 6
Settled quickly into the defence, held his ground when tested by the opposing team.

Jeremy Doku – 7.5
Arguably the liveliest in Manchester City’s attack and the most impactful player despite coming off the bench. Scored a late goal tearing past the Manchester United defence.

Julian Alvarez – 6
Created space upfront to solve his team’s biggest problem before arrival, but struggled to finish well.

Player Ratings

Ortega: City's hero at Spurs was too rash for most of the first half, and having come out for the first goal he had to get there. Some solid saves, still. 5

Walker: Did well to deal with Rashford's pace and one of the few City players to really test Onana even if it was from distance. 7

Stones: His first start since the FA Cup semi-final here last month and he looked undercooked, short of his usual class. 5

Ake: Managed to avoid the panic at the back for much of the first half but eventually got caught up in it. 5

Gvardiol: Had looked good moving forwards in the first half until his unfortunate part in the first goal. Kept going without doing too much. 6

Rodri: Sloppy by his extremely high standards, giving the ball away too often and unable to control as he normally would. 6

Kovacic: Almost gifted United the ball in the six-yard box but just escaped. He was solid, even if he didn't progress City forwards. 6

De Bruyne: Struggled to find his radar all game and couldn't complain when he was taken off before the hour mark. 5

Silva: Worked well with Walker but too much of what he tried didn't come off up against his Portugal teammate Dalot. 6

Foden: City's matchwinner so often couldn't find his rhythm here, with either the shot or the last pass falling short. 6

Haaland: Not his day. City were determined to keep him high but he couldn't find the space he craved and his one big chance came back off the bar. 5


Substitutes
Doku (for Kovacic, 46) Instantly improved the team and troubled United with his runs and trickery, with a deserved late goal. 8

Akanji (for Ake, 46) Had less to do with United retreating but still found Garnacho and Fernandes a handful. 6

Alvarez (for De Bruyne, 57) Brilliant in the way he was able to create and find space, less than good in the way he finished two very good chances. 6

Player Ratings

GK: Stefan Ortega - 3/10 - The goalkeeper came rushing out into no man's land for Garnacho's first-half effort, an unwise and ultimately costly decision.

RB: Kyle Walker - 5/10 - Used his acceleration to stifle Marcus Rashford on several occasions early doors but failed to pick up Mainoo for Man Utd's second goal. Almost produced a stunner to get Man City back in the game.

CB: John Stones - 5/10 - Not the return to the starting lineup he would have wanted, failing to lead a disorganised backline.

CB: Nathan Ake - 5/10 - Not his best display by any means but wasn't directly culpable for either of Man Utd's first-half efforts. Withdrawn at the break.

LB: Josko Gvardiol - 4/10 - An enormous gaffe handed Man Utd the lead, with Gvardiol's header gifting Garnacho the opener. Struggled all afternoon up against the tricky Argentine.

DM: Rodri - 6/10 - The Spaniard didn't have to do an awful lot in midfield as Man Utd often bypassed him with some direct passes. Couldn't produce one of his trademark clutch strikes.

DM: Mateo Kovacic - 5/10 - Made a bright start as he attempted to weave his way through a tightly-packed Man Utd midfield, but was hooked at half-time as things fell apart for Man City.

RM: Bernardo Silva - 5/10 - A quiet and blunt display from the Portuguese, who got no change out of his compatriot Diogo Dalot.

AM: Kevin De Bruyne - 4/10 - Taken off before the hour mark and he can have zero complaints. Looked lethargic in possession and was wayward with his passing throughout.

LM: Phil Foden - 6/10 - The brightest of Man City's attacking players with some neat touches in and around the penalty area, but nowhere near his usual standards.

ST: Erling Haaland - 5/10 - Offered very little as Man City looked to break through a stubborn Man Utd defence, but did come within an inch of grabbing a goal when he struck the woodwork.

Substitutes
SUB: Manuel Akanji (46' for Ake) - 6/10 - Man City certainly looked more solid after his introduction, although that wasn't hard to achieve.

SUB: Jeremy Doku (46' for Kovacic) - 8/10 - Brought some chaos and energy to Man City in the final third, pulling one back late on.

SUB: Julian Alvarez (56' for De Bruyne) - 5/10

Manager
Pep Guardiola - 5/10 - An uncharacteristically woeful display from his side, with his substitutes unable to change the flow of the game.

Player Ratings

Stefan Ortega (1/10):

Rushed out to claim a bouncing ball and Gvardiol headed it over him, allowing Garnacho to score. A howler in the biggest game imaginable. Well-beaten by Mainoo's goal, too. A day he will be desperate to forget.

Kyle Walker (4/10):

Kept Rashford quiet, until he allowed him to spray a beautiful pass to Garnacho before United's second. Didn't recover his position at all well, leaving Mainoo free. Forced a couple of good saves from Onana with a long-range drives.

John Stones (5/10):

Made no effort to mark Mainoo for United's second. Some progressive passing and looked City's most comfortable defender on the ball.

Nathan Ake (5/10):

Struggled to cope with United's consistently direct approach and was replaced at half-time.

Josko Gvardiol (3/10):

Horrendous error saw him send Garnacho clean through as he headed over his own goalkeeper, but it was surely Ortega's fault; what was he doing there?

Rodri (4/10):

Nowhere to be seen twice in a row as United found a way through City's press. Always distributes the ball well, though.

Mateo Kovacic (5/10):

Brilliant last-ditch slide denied Fernandes but lost his battle with Mainoo. Hooked at half-time.

Kevin De Bruyne (2/10):

Weirdly muted. Couldn't get anything going, despite repeated attempts to deliver, and was replaced before the hour. A terrible display.

Bernardo Silva (3/10):

Next to no impact. Playing off the right, United often doubled up on him, with Fernandes dropping in to help Dalot deal with him. Silva couldn't cope.

Erling Haaland (4/10):

Had more than one penalty shout waved away, with one after a foul from Mainoo looking particularly harsh. Peripheral in the first half but came alive briefly in the second, smashing an effort against the crossbar.

Phil Foden (6/10):

Some absolutely gorgeous touches. Freed Alvarez with a great pass but he diverted the ball wide. Kept trying to weave his way through, but much like his team-mates, was left frustrated.

Substitutes
Jeremy Doku (6/10):

On for Kovacic at half-time. Ran at Wan-Bissaka every chance he got but got very little change out of him until he scored, jinking inside and sending an effort at goal that squirmed through Onana's hands.

Manuel Akanji (5/10):

On for Ake at the interval. Did okay in defence, using his athleticism to hold the line.

Julian Alvarez (4/10):

Replaced De Bruyne. Missed a sitter when sent through one-on-one. Took over set-piece deliveries but could not test the United backline.

Manager
Pep Guardiola (2/10):

Got this totally and completely wrong. City could not deal with United's direct approach, nor their aggressive press. Doku did score as a sub but the decision to take off De Bruyne deserves immense scrutiny.

Manchester City executives face an additional major headache amid reports that Pep Guardiola could leave the Etihad Stadium in 2025.

Manchester City’s summer transfer plans jeopardised by bombshell Pep Guardiola decision

When does the 2024/25 Premier League season start?
The 2024/25 Premier League season will begin on the weekend of the 17th/18th of August 2024, with the campaign consisting of 33 weekends, four midweek rounds and one Bank Holiday.

When does the 2024/25 Premier League season end?
The 2024/25 Premier League season will conclude on Sunday 25th May 2025.

When are Premier League fixtures for the 2024/25 season published?
Premier League fixtures for the 2024/25 campaign will be published on Tuesday 18th June at 9am BST.

When is the UEFA Champions League Group Stage draw?
The UEFA Champions League will consist of a wider league phase next season, with clubs playing a total of eight matches against eight different opponents between September 2024 and January 2025.

The draw for this phase of the competition will take place on Thursday 29th August 2024.

What dates are UEFA Champions League fixtures in 2024/25?
Matchday 1: 17–19 September 2024
Matchday 2: 1/2 October 2024
Matchday 3: 22/23 October 2024
Matchday 4: 5/6 November 2024
Matchday 5: 26/27 November 2024
Matchday 6: 10/11 December 2024
Matchday 7: 21/22 January 2025
Matchday 8: 29 January 2025

Knockout round play-offs: 11/12 & 18/19 February 2025
Round of 16: 4/5 & 11/12 March 2025
Quarter-finals: 8/9 & 15/16 April 2025
Semi-finals: 29/30 April & 6/7 May 2025
Final: 31 May 2025

When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The Premier League summer transfer window will open on Friday 14th June and close on Friday 30th August.

When does the January transfer window open and close?
The January transfer window will open on Wednesday 1st January 2025 and close on Monday 3rd February 2025.

This post has been edited by kjs86: May 29 2024, 07:32 AM

Player Ratings



Ederson

A stop-start season for Manchester City’s No.1 goalkeeper and one that could prove to be his last-ever as a Blue. Regardless, it was another solid outing – when not injured – with Ederson a key cog in the City machine.

Best moment: Four saves during Manchester City’s 0-1 win against Bournemouth in February.

Grade: B



Stefan Ortega

Had it not been for his howler in the FA Cup final for Manchester United’s opener, it would’ve been hard to argue against an A+ grade. Alas, that save in the 85th minute against Tottenham Hotspur is the reason Manchester City can still call themselves Champions of England.

Best moment: Do we even need to say?

Grade: A



Scott Carson

Easy to pass Scott Carson off as an irrelevance in Manchester City’s squad, but it’s clear his impact on the dressing room is immense. Maintaining (and pushing) that goalkeeper is a key asset for City.

Best moment: Celebrating yet another title without playing a game.

Grade: B

Manuel Akanji

While Manuel Akanji’s mistake might’ve led to the Heung-min Son missed chance in the penultimate game of the Premier League season, it was the only foot the Swiss ace put wrong on an otherwise impeccable campaign.

A reminder, Akanji only cost City £15 million. Daylight robbery.

Best moment: MOTM display against Brentford.

Grade: A-



Nathan Ake

From one Ak’ to another, Nathan Ake – much like his partner in crime Manuel Akanji – shone once again this term. It was only during the final couple of months of the season that Ake fell out of the side, having picked up an injury during City’s goalless draw with Arsenal.

Otherwise another one of the main guys.

Best moment: Johan Cruyff-esque assist against Liverpool.

Grade: B+



Kyle Walker
Perhaps Manchester City’s most divisive player this season, Kyle Walker’s campaign has returned mixed reviews across the board. Granted, performances have been poor at times, but the Englishman still played a key role in City’s fourth consecutive Premier League title.

Best moment: Won the ball back for Rodri’s winner vs Sheffield United in August.

Grade: C+



Ruben Dias

Questions were being asked of Ruben Dias at the turn of the year, but the Portuguese international responded well and finished the season strong. Stepped up in the run-in when it mattered. Should’ve started the FA Cup final.

Best moment: Monster showing vs Fulham during the run-in.

Grade: B


John Stones

A disappointing season for John Stones, given how impressive his 2022/23 campaign was. Just 16 appearances in the Premier League this season, but we’ll always have that iconic celebration in front of the away end at Anfield.

Best moment: Goal away at Anfield in the 1-1 draw

Grade: C



Josko Gvardiol

Josko Gvardi-goal… am I right?!

That pun might’ve been terrible, but the Croatian centre-back-turned-left-back certainly wasn’t this season. Probably the best £77 million flop in football history.

Best moment: Stunning goal away to Real Madrid.

Grade: A



Sergio Gomez

Sergio Gomez, remember him? Pep Guardiola doesn’t. Still a lovely chap though.

Best moment: Assist for Haaland against Fulham at the Etihad Stadium.

Grade: C



Rico Lewis

Rico Lewis has probably played less than he’d have wished for this season, but that hasn’t stopped him from having an impact. Played a key role when Kyle Walker was out of the team around March and April time.

Best moment: Goal vs Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Grade: B-

This post has been edited by kjs86: May 31 2024, 07:20 AM

Rodri

Teacher’s pet with the grade to match. Exemplary student and a season to remember for Manchester City’s Champions League-winning goalscorer. There may not have been any Istanbul indulgences this time around, but it’s still a season to remember.

Best moment: Winning goal away to Sheffield United… can we talk about Rodri?

Grade: A+



Mateo Kovacic

Successfully plugging a gap when he joined from Chelsea in the summer, Mateo Kovacic can hold his head up high following his debut season. At just £30 million too, what’s not to love about the classy Croatian?

Best moment: Substitute appearance vs Liverpool when things were shaky.

Grade: B+



Matheus Nunes

Unlike his fellow summer arrivals, Matheus Nunes didn’t have the impact he’d have been hoping for. Notching up just 31 appearances across all competitions, Nunes’ future hangs in the balance heading into the summer.

Best moment: Assist in City’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

Grade: C


Bernardo Silva

Another one of Manchester City’s long-term servants that could be out the door this summer, it wasn’t a vintage Bernardo Silva season, but he’s still among the best performers.

His campaign hinged on a 72 hour period when he missed a penalty in City’s Champions League quarter-final exit, only to score the winner that sent them to the FA Cup final a couple of days later.

Obrigado Bernardo!

Best moment: Chelsea FA Cup semi-final winner.

Grade: B+



Kevin De Bruyne

What other player in world football could get injured in the first game of the season, undergo major hamstring surgery, and still end the campaign with 24 G/A contributions?

His powers might be waning a little, but Kevin De Bruyne is still among the best in the squad.

Best moment: Goal and an assist during City’s come-from-behind win at Newcastle.

Grade: A-



Oscar Bobb

From the bits and Bobbs (wahey) we’ve seen from Oscar this year, it’s been promising. If grades were being handed out for a player’s chant, Bobb would take an A+. As for his on-pitch performances, it’s still strong.

Best moment: Scoring the goal from KDB’s assist away to Newcastle.

Grade: B-



Jack Grealish

Oh, what could’ve been. One of the best players during Manchester City’s treble run, Jack Grealish endured a campaign to forget this time around. From off-pitch issues to recurring injury problems, Grealish was dealt a rough hand. He’ll be hoping for a big season next year.

Best moment: Winning goal in the 2-1 win away to Luton Town.

Grade: C



Jeremy Doku
It wasn’t always pretty from Jeremy Doku, but when he found form, wow, it was special.

The only player who came out of Manchester City’s FA Cup final defeat with any credit in the bank.

Best moment: Winning the penalty vs Tottenham away.

Grade: B+



Phil Foden

Is there an individual accolade Phil Foden hasn’t snatched up this season?

With 27 goals and 12 assists for the term, it really was Phil Foden’s season.

Best moment: Performance vs Manchester United (both home and away), Aston Villa, Brentford or West Ham… take your pick.

Grade: A++

This post has been edited by kjs86: May 31 2024, 07:21 AM

Julian Alvarez

A much-criticised member of Manchester City’s squad this season, it’s easy to forget just how much Julian Alvarez has sacrificed himself for the team’s greater good.

Stepping in for De Bruyne when the Belgian was out injured, any season where an attacker returns 32 G/A from 54 appearances isn’t to be scoffed at.

Best moment: Winning goal against Newcastle at home in August.

Grade: B+



Erling Haaland

And finally, the much-talked-about Erling Haaland.

It’s a measure of Haaland’s ability and standards that the Norweigan has been looked down on for only netting 38 goals.

Signed to score goals, and with 90 to his name already in a Manchester City shirt, it’s safe to say the world’s best League Two striker has done just that.

Best moment: Brace away to Spurs in City’s nervy 2-0 win.

Grade: A

This post has been edited by kjs86: May 31 2024, 07:22 AM

Player Ratings



Ederson: His skills on the ball are so good that they are underrated, although an absence of matchwinning contributions and a bizarrely bad injury record made this season less than vintage. 7



Ortega: Priceless in the Premier League filling in for Ederson, not least with his title-defining stop from Son, but did prove costly in the FA Cup Final. 8

This post has been edited by kjs86: May 31 2024, 07:28 AM

Walker: Played more than anyone expected, received a lot of criticism – some of it fair – as a player and a captain, but ultimately lifted three trophies and was there from start to finish. 7


Lewis: A strange season for Lewis. He was terrific in the Champions League group stages and trusted to play at Arsenal in the league, yet his progress stalled in the New Year. 6


Akanji: One of Guardiola's most used players and obvious to see why. He wasn't quite John Stones when it came to the hybrid role but his other skills and, crucially, availability brought quality and consistency. 8


Stones: Was always going to struggle to match Istanbul but it really wasn't his year, with regular injuries killing his form before he could build any rhythm. 6


Dias: A mixed bag of a year. At times there was the commanding leader keeping everyone away from goal, but there were also mistake-riddled performances that kept him out of the team a fair bit. 7


Ake: Just a really classy defender. Ake has transformed into a top player at the Etihad and could always be relied upon. 8


Gvardiol: Took a long time to convince himself in that left-back role, never mind every one else, but when it clicked the results were sensational. 8


Gomez: Present but not involved for most of the campaign, with the odd cameo. He was a useful squad member to have, while at the same time not contributing much. 6

This post has been edited by kjs86: May 31 2024, 07:29 AM

Rodri: How does he keep doing it? Didn't even get the rest he pleaded with coaches for last summer and still knocked out a year's worth of performances that Declan Rice and the rest can't match. 9


Phillips: Being overlooked for the first half of the season at City even when Rodri was suspended was bad, and things then somehow got even worse when he moved on loan to West Ham for playing time. 4


Kovacic: A promising start alongside Rodri, a few dips in the middle, and then a strong end where he earned his place in the team for the final weeks. 7


Nunes: Flashes of potential but nowhere near the consistency needed to play regularly. An important pre-season ahead if he isn't to follow Phillips down the road of expensive flops. 6


De Bruyne: An unbelievable impact after missing five months with injury, with the Newcastle game so critical to City's season. Performances weren't always there but the goals and assists were. 8


Silva: Probably the underrated star of the campaign – again. His goals and experience proved invaluable at various points along the season and he excelled in the run-in. 8


Foden: Has the be the player of the season for his outstanding contributions, particularly from January onwards. A scorer of not just great goals but important ones. 10


Grealish: Showed a few signs of the player that kept Foden out for the majority of last year but he was never good enough for long enough. 6


Bobb: A brilliant breakthrough season, holding his own in the star-studded squad and coming up with that exquisite goal at Newcastle. 7


Doku: Took his time to settle despite an early impact but really came into his own in the final months. A player to get excited about for next year. 8

This post has been edited by kjs86: May 31 2024, 07:30 AM