Premier League 25/26: Four Reasons Why Manchester City Can't Be Written Off

Mon, Aug 4, 2025
by CapperTek

The 2024/25 Premier League campaign was an absolute gobsmacker and primarily for one reason: Manchester City looked mortal. The final act, a meek surrender of their crown as Liverpool marched unopposed to glory, carried a whiff of finality and, for some, the end of an era. In the eyes of online betting sites, a new Merseyside dynasty seems inevitable.

The latest online sports betting at Bovada odds currently make Liverpool an overwhelming 2.70 favorite to retain their title this season, with both Arsenal and Pep Guardiola's Blues trailing in their wake. And let's face it, why wouldn't they be?

Arne Slot’s machine has added the artistry of Florian Wirtz—a player already considered a world-class midfield maestro despite his tender years—and the predatory urgency of Hugo Ekitike. And if Newcastle striker Alexander Isak gets his way, he too could be on his way to Anfield in the not-so-distant future. Add those weapons to the title-winning core and the narrative writes itself: Liverpool, imperious, are odds-on to reign again.

Yet every spellbinding Premier League script is just one twist away from being torn up. If history has demonstrated anything, it is that Manchester City, for all their troubles and transitions, are never out until the final whistle. Here are four reasons why you shouldn't write them off just yet.

Pep Guardiola: Reset, Ruthless, Reborn

Don’t mistake last season’s stumble for the start of a decline. Pep Guardiola’s City is a side defined not by their occasional failures but by their relentless resurgence. The evidence is written in the record books. Consider the 2019/20 campaign, when they finished a whopping 18 points behind Liverpool. Pundits called it the end of an era; Guardiola engineered a response so emphatic that the next four Premier League titles landed in Manchester, alongside a long-awaited Champions League crown, completing a treble of dreams in 2023.

What happens inside the City Football Academy after failure? Judging by their iconic manager's past, a near-military escalation of standards. Training sessions take on new ferocity, the tactical playbook is shredded and redrawn. No detail is spared. Players often emerge from pre-season describing an atmosphere of creative tension—competition so fierce, even household names sweat their starting spots.

Guardiola is the league’s greatest alchemist. Responding to adversity, he shapes new roles, unearths tactical wrinkles, and—crucially—transforms collective hunger into a juggernaut mentality. His teams average a remarkable 90.2 points per “bounce-back” season and scores at a rate north of 2.35 goals per game. Truly, anyone doubting City’s capacity for reinvention ignores years of spectacular recoveries.

Rodri: The Non-Negotiable Pivot

Much of last season's turmoil was down to the absence of one man: Rodri. The reigning Ballon d'Or holder was crocked with a season-ending injury just weeks into the campaign in a 2-2 draw at home to Arsenal, and boy, did City miss their talismanic midfielder. His absence did more than unbalance the Blues' midfield; it torpedoed their entire season.

The sediment of the numbers is unambiguous: City lost nine league matches without him—more than in their previous two full campaigns combined—with the win percentage plummeting from 80% with Rodri to just 50% without.

The Spaniard is far more than a pass machine. He is City’s metronome, screening the back four and launching attacks with radar-guided precision. With Rodri anchoring in midfield, City average 61.7% possession and the lowest expected goals allowed per 90 minutes of any “big six” team.

But it’s about more than metrics. Rodri’s presence is gravity for this team: Kevin De Bruyne - who has since departed for Napoli - flourishes higher up, Phil Foden finds pockets, and even defensive frailties are smoothed over by his positioning. If he stays fit for the crucial run-in, the entire complexion of City’s chase warps—and suddenly, they look invincible again.

Haaland Recharged

No player in the Premier League wears expectations quite like Erling Haaland. His 2024/25 campaign, marred by injury and disrupted service, shrank to a pedestrian 22 league goals—a haul that would be career-defining for most strikers, such are the lofty standards the Norwegian has set in his three years at the Etihad. And yet, peel back the curtain: Haaland missed seven games and, crucially, spent most of them starved of Rodri’s supply.

The former Borussia Dortmund man is unique for his ability to turn adversity into fuel. Haaland averaged 0.89 goals per 90 minutes in matches where City had their preferred midfield behind him—numbers dwarfing every title rival’s leading striker. Now, with City’s creative core rebuilt and refocused, the stage is set for a vengeance campaign.

Quality In, Holes Plugged

Guardiola’s transfer gambits are equal parts science and theater. January’s window had mixed early returns—Nico González and Abdukodir Khusanov have yet to convince, even as Omar Marmoush announced himself with six goals in 14 league appearances. But behind the scenes, plans were already afoot for calculated upgrades.

Enter Rayan Cherki, signed from Lyon as one of Europe’s most elusive dribblers. Add Tijjani Reijnders—brought in for his high-pressure engine and 88.9% pass completion—from AC Milan, and suddenly City’s midfield is given dynamism and youthful audacity. The missing puzzle piece may be Rayan Aït-Nouri, a left back signed from Wolves with a proven blend of 1v1 defensive acumen and progressive runs.

After these additions, they boast one of the league’s deepest squads, as well as an extremely versatile tactical setup. Full-backs invert and attack, wide players interchange, and even the “second string” would start in most Premier League sides. When the schedule intensifies and injuries inevitably bite, City’s bench could swing tight contests and reclaim lost ground.