After a significant period of upheaval and reorganisation at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City begin the new season aiming to restore their dominance of English football under the leadership of Enzo Maresca. Having been pushed hard in the championship battle and clinching two domestic cup victories last year, the club enter the new campaign with determination to mount a sustained challenge for the title against holders Arsenal.
Betting firm bet365 list City as 7/2 second-favourites to claim the Premier League crown, with odds of 5/4 available for a top-two finish. For those seeking a more cautious option, City are available at 1/4 to secure a top-five position and ensure continental competition.
In the individual goalscoring market, Erling Haaland remains the standout favourite to finish as Manchester City’s leading goal scorer at 1/8.
Assessment from our Manchester City correspondent, Simon Bajkowski
Can Manchester City and Enzo Maresca achieve what Manchester United and Arsenal found so difficult after one of the greatest managers in their respective histories? That is the question we are set to discover.
City have gone two years without winning the league or Champions League, with their European form having been particularly disappointing. As well as expecting to compete across all four competitions, there exists a genuine desire to secure one of the two major trophies.
The squad members have already embraced the new concepts and transformation brought by Maresca, and everyone is eager to make an impression on the new coaching staff. Change can be invigorating, and club record acquisition Elliot Anderson represents the headline signing in a summer spending spree that looks certain to exceed the £200m mark.
However, the club has lost considerable experience this summer – Rodri, Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Nathan Ake – and seven of their strongest lineup missed almost the entire pre-season schedule due to their involvement at the World Cup, meaning it may require time before the optimal version of City under Maresca emerges.
Having secured two cup trophies last season and taken Arsenal close in the Premier League, City still possess the quality to compete at the very highest level and the club is pleased to have Maresca at the helm. Nevertheless, it remains a significant ask for this revamped side to match the consistency of an Arsenal team who have such stability under Mikel Arteta and have demonstrated their ambitions in the transfer market once more.
Opening Five Matches
AFC Bournemouth (Home) – Sunday, 23 August
Crystal Palace (Away) – Friday, 28 August
Coventry City (Home) – Saturday, 5 September
Manchester United (Away) – Sunday, 13 September
Sunderland (Home) – Saturday, 19 September
Incoming Transfers
Elliot Anderson – from Nottingham Forest
Mathys Detourbet – from ESTAC Troyes
Jeremy Monga – from Leicester City
Pierce Charles – from Sheffield Wednesday
Gerónimo Rulli – from Marseille
Outgoing Transfers
James Trafford – to Leeds United
Manuel Akanji – to Inter Milan
Nathan Aké – to Fenerbahçe
Bernardo Silva – to Real Madrid
John Stones – to Inter Milan
Manchester City Season Odds with bet365
Premier League Champions 7/2
To Finish in Top 2 5/4
To Finish in Top 5 1/4
Champions League Winners 7/1
FA Cup Winners 5/1
Carabao Cup Winners 6/1
Leading Team Goalscorer
Erling Haaland (1/8)
Antoine Semenyo (14/1)
Omar Marmoush (16/1)
All details are accurate as of the publication date.
18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. Begambleaware.org.