The 2019/20 campaign is underway and City kick-off our title defence with a lunchtime (12:30pm BST) trip to West Ham.
READ: Guardiola | ‘Aguero ready to fire again’
WATCH: Pep | Rodrigo is better than I was!
GALLERY: Training | Final preparations for West Ham
Last season’s dramatic, nail-biting race to the crown left the footballing world hungry for more in May and now, we are ready for another thrilling contest.
Anticipation levels have skyrocketed and fans, pundits, staff and players have all had plenty to say in the build-up to our opener...
View from the opposition
West Ham United: Pellegrini: We’ve all worked to a clear plan
Manuel Pellegrini: “If you don’t have the ball, or lose the ball in two or three touches of course they will have possession and make it very difficult to exploit those weaknesses.
“That’s why I hope we are going to play a good game, knowing that we will play against them but not changing what we do or what we think just because we are playing against them.
“After that we will see - we just played them in pre-season and we had a lot of opportunities that we didn’t score. Every game is different and we will see what happens.”
Match previews and predictions
Premier League: Zinchenko targets historic winning run
“Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko can make Premier League history this season by extending his remarkable winning run when they visit West Ham United on Saturday.
“The left-back has won all 22 of his Premier League appearances, the best 100 per cent record by any player in the competition’s history.
“Twenty of those appearances have been starts, as the 22-year-old helped Pep Guardiola‘s Man City to two Premier League titles.
“If Zinchenko plays and wins in City’s season opener at West Ham, he will match the best winning streak by a player in Premier League history.
“Team-mate David Silva holds the record, winning 23 matches in succession up to 31 March 2018.”
Manchester Evening News: How Manchester City should line up vs West Ham
Marcus Banks: “There is no need to throw Joao Cancelo in at the deep end meaning Kyle Walker should get the nod at right-back with John Stones partnering Laporte in the middle.
“Guardiola should keep Rodri in the starting XI to protect the back four while allowing Kevin De Bruyne and new captain David Silva to flourish ahead of him.
“Sane‘s injury will allow Raheem Sterling to operate on the left wing, with Bernardo Silva on the opposite flank. Sergio Aguero gets my pick ahead of Gabriel Jesus up top.”
The Mirror: Robbie Savage’s Premier League predictions for every club in 2019-20
Robbie Savage: “Champions: Manchester City.
“It’s hard to see past Pep Guardiola making it a hat-trick of Premier League titles.
“Like all the best clubs riding the crest of a wave, they have strengthened by bringing in Spain midfielder Rodri for a club record £62.8 million and Joao Cancelo from Juventus for £60m.
“The depth of Guardiola’s squad is frightening. Champions again.”
Opinion
Eurosport: The smiling maverick with his own passing wand - Ederson has the world at his feet
Pete Sharland: “Nowadays every keeper is expected to play out from the back with his feet, and few in the world do it to a level as Manchester City’s Ederson Moraes.
“The next step for City is the Champions League, make no bones about it, but on a personal level this could be the season that Ederson establishes himself as the very best in the world.
“As a keeper he ticks pretty much every box. He’s strong in the air, fearless in one-on-ones and has superb reactions.
“But what he can offer with his feet is an entirely different matter entirely.
“Little dinks out to his full-backs, tight passes to his centre-backs or central midfielders, long raking diagonals out to wingers or strikers, ball from the floor, side-kick, throwing, he can do everything.”
City Social
Football FanCast: Man City star Kevin De Bruyne takes to Instagram to share brilliant video
Domagoj Kostanjsak: “The great Belgian midfielder spent a big chunk of his season sidelined by various injuries.
“As a whole, five different injuries made De Bruyne miss a total of 29 games throughout the 2018/19 season.
“And for that reason, the upcoming 2019/20 campaign is his way towards redemption.
“De Bruyne took to Instagram to share a brilliant video, hyping up the new campaign and stating how the previous one will only motivate him more.”
Season 1⃣1⃣ pic.twitter.com/jbMPYpZpty
— Kevin De Bruyne (@DeBruyneKev) August 9, 2019
Loan news
Luton Today: Bolton ready to develop at Luton after Man City loan switch
Luke Bolton: “The gaffer seems great and I can’t wait to see how he develops me.
“City have said to get out and get some experience, just play men’s football and playing it in the Championship is not going to do me any harm.
“It’s a top, top level and for a 19-year-old to be playing in the Championship is going to be a good experience.”
