City host Tottenham on Saturday in an early battle for psychological advantage among the top sides – and the press are already looking forward to what promises to be an open, attacking match.
But first off this morning, let’s have a look at Gary Neville hailing our new signing...
News
Sky Bet’s Big Premier League Debate: Neville hails Cancelo move
Gary Neville says: “I absolutely love him to bits. To be fair, when I was at Valencia I wanted United to sign him, at the time they could have got him for £25m and he went to Inter Milan.
“Cancelo is perfect for City. He’s a winger, a goalscorer, assist maker, he’s a right-back! You’re going to lose a bit defensively in terms of a back four because he’ll never be there, I promise you that.
“The coach before and after played him as a right winger. I always played Cancelo, I absolutely loved him - his professionalism, his enthusiasm for the game, he’s really intense, trains like you wouldn’t believe.
“He’s a brilliant signing for City. He probably wouldn’t do as well at other clubs with more of a rigid back four but for City he will be phenomenal.”
Football.London: The four Tottenham changes Mauricio Pochettino could make against Man City
Rob Guest writes: “Spurs are going to have to be at their very best on Saturday evening if they are to start off the new Premier League season with successive wins.
“Fresh from clinching a late 3-1 victory over Aston Villa at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Mauricio Pochettino’s team face a mouth-watering clash against Man City at the Etihad Stadium.
“Here we take a look at the changes Pochettino could potentially make for the game against Pep Guardiola‘s side.
Guest goes on to say Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen, Serge Aurier and Giovani Lo Celso could all come into the frame.
READ: De Bruyne expects opposition to change tactics against City
READ: Champions League draw: All you need to know
WATCH: West Ham 0-5 City: Extended highlights
GALLERY: Women’s training: Raleigh-ing the troops!
Predictions
BBC Sport: Your Premier League predictions: How your table for 2019-20 looks
“Manchester City will once again beat Liverpool to the Premier League title, while two of the three promoted teams will drop straight back down into the Championship.
“That’s what you told us after we asked you to predict the final standings for the 2019-20 campaign.
“Two-thirds of you backed Manchester City to win the league for a third season in a row.”
Opinion
Manchester Evening News: The City player who was an unnoticed star of the win at West Ham
Stuart Brennan writes: “Just as he did last season, Guardiola showed faith in the 25-year-old by starting him against the Hammers.
“And he was rewarded with a composed display, and no alarms.
“On top of that, Stones topped the passing accuracy chart, with 94.2 per cent of his passes finding their target.
“And, while he does not take as many risks as Laporte, who is City’s main passer out of defence, he nailed four of his five long balls, with only Rodri’s seven out of eight bettering that.
“He also came up with four tackles, more than any other defender.
“The stats back up the evidence of the eyes – Stones was solid, unflustered, and steady and accurate in his distribution.”
That’s all for this morning’s roundup of the back pages - but stay with us throughout the day as we bring you all the latest City news.
